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The Spatial Ecology & Epidemiology Group in Oxford has used niche/species distribution models to estimate probability of infection occurrence for a number of priority diseases, starting with dengue and leishmaniasis. They have now joined forces with HealthMap to build a system that regularly updates these maps in an automated way using data from internet reports and ad hoc disease datasets. The results are released on the ABRAID website at www.abraid.ox.ac.uk.
If you want to delve into the system further, you can register at www.abraid.ox.ac.uk/register/account and then validate disease outbreak data and/or disease extent maps at www.abraid.ox.ac.uk/datavalidation. The site currently has updating maps for dengue and New World leishmaniasis. Other leishmaniases will be added soon and then CCHF, melioidosis, chikungunya, knowlesi malaria, HAT, Chagas, JE, yellow fever and more.
We are consulting key groups about the current website and about new functions you might like to see in the future. You can use this link to access the feedback form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CY3KB9K. It would be really useful to have feedback from your research team if there are any features you would like to see from the perspective of your work, or if you have any general comments. You can use this email address - abraid@zoo.ox.ac.uk - if you have any questions or would like further information about the project.
You can find out more about how to validate data/maps on the ABRAID site, by watching the video below:
Dr Catherine Moyes presented this method at the RSTMH Modern digital methods in epidemiology meeting in London on the 30th of March 2014. Her presentation can be viewed by clicking on this link "The use of internet data to ensure predictive disease maps are continually updated", as well as on the RSTMH YouTube channel.