Use of Google Earth™ to Strengthen Public Health Capacity and Facilitate Management of Vector-Borne Diseases in Resource-Poor Environments

Novel, inexpensive solutions are needed for improved management of vector-borne and other diseases in resource-poor environments. Emerging free software providing access to satellite imagery and simple editing tools (e.g. Google Earth™) complement existing geographic information system (GIS) software and provide new opportunities for: (i) strengthening overall public health capacity through development of information for city infrastructures; and (ii) display of public health data directly on an image of the physical environment. Collaborators include: Saul Lozano-Fuentes, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Darwin Elizondo-Quiroga, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Jose Arturo Farfan-Ale, Laboratorio de Arbovirologia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatan, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico; Maria Alba Loroño-Pino, Laboratorio de Arbovirologia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatan, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico; Julian Garcia-Rejon, Laboratorio de Arbovirologia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatan, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico; Salvador Gomez-Carro, Servicios de Salud de Yucatan, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico; Victor Lira-Zumbardo, Servicios de Salud de Yucatan, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico; Rosario Najera-Vazquez, Servicios de Salud de Yucatan, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico; Ildefonso Fernandez-Salas, Laboratorio de Entomología Medica, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; Joaquin Calderon-Martinez, Servicios Estatales de Salud de Quintana Roo, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico; Marco Dominguez-Galera, Servicios Estatales de Salud de Quintana Roo, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico; Pedro Mis-Avila, Servicios Estatales de Salud de Quintana Roo, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico; Natashia Morris, Malaria Research Programme, Medical Research Council, Durban, South Africa; Michael Coleman, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, England; Chester G Moore, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Barry J Beaty, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; and Lars Eisen, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, US

Use of Mapping and Spatial and Space-Time Modeling Approaches in Operational Control of Aedes aegypti and Dengue

The aims of this review paper are to 1) provide an overview of how mapping and spatial and space-time modeling approaches have been used to date to visualize and analyze mosquito vector and epidemiologic data for dengue; and 2) discuss the potential for these approaches to be included as routine activities in operational vector and dengue control programs. Geographical information system (GIS) software are becoming more user-friendly and now are complemented by free mapping software that provide access to satellite imagery and basic feature-making tools and have the capacity to generate static maps as well as dynamic time-series maps. Our challenge is now to move beyond the research arena by transferring mapping and GIS technologies and spatial statistical analysis techniques in user-friendly packages to operational vector and dengue control programs. This will enable control programs to, for example, generate risk maps for exposure to dengue virus, develop Priority Area Classifications for vector control, and explore socioeconomic associations with dengue risk

Multi-Disease Data Management System Platform for Vector-Borne Diseases

Background Emerging information technologies present new opportunities to reduce the burden of malaria, dengue and other infectious diseases. For example, use of a data management system software package can help disease control programs to better manage and analyze their data, and thus enhances their ability to carry out continuous surveillance, monitor interventions and evaluate control program performance. Methods and Findings We describe a novel multi-disease data management system platform (hereinafter referred to as the system) with current capacity for dengue and malaria that supports data entry, storage and query. It also allows for production of maps and both standardized and customized reports. The system is comprised exclusively of software components that can be distributed without the user incurring licensing costs. It was designed to maximize the ability of the user to adapt the system to local conditions without involvement of software developers. Key points of system adaptability include 1) customizable functionality content by disease, 2) configurable roles and permissions, 3) customizable user interfaces and display labels and 4) configurable information trees including a geographical entity tree and a term tree. The system includes significant portions of functionality that is entirely or in large part re-used across diseases, which provides an economy of scope as new diseases downstream are added to the system at decreased cost. Conclusions We have developed a system with great potential for aiding disease control programs in their task to reduce the burden of dengue and malaria, including the implementation of integrated vector management programs. Next steps include evaluations of operational implementations of the current system with capacity for dengue and malaria, and the inclusion in the system platform of other important vector-borne diseases

Correlating Remote Sensing Data with the Abundance of Pupae of the Dengue Virus Mosquito Vector, Aedes aegypti, in Central Mexico

Using a geographic transect in Central Mexico, with an elevation/climate gradient, but uniformity in socio-economic conditions among study sites, this study evaluates the applicability of three widely-used remote sensing (RS) products to link weather conditions with the local abundance of the dengue virus mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti). Field-derived entomological measures included estimates for the percentage of premises with the presence of Ae. aegypti pupae and the abundance of Ae. aegypti pupae per premises. Data on mosquito abundance from field surveys were matched with RS data and analyzed for correlation. Daily daytime and nighttime land surface temperature (LST) values were obtained from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)/Aqua cloud-free images within the four weeks preceding the field survey. Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)-estimated rainfall accumulation was calculated for the four weeks preceding the field survey. Elevation was estimated through a digital elevation model (DEM). Strong correlations were found between mosquito abundance and RS-derived night LST, elevation and rainfall along the elevation/climate gradient. These findings show that RS data can be used to predict Ae. aegypti abundance, but further studies are needed to define the climatic and socio-economic conditions under which the correlations observed herein can be assumed to apply

The Neovolcanic Axis Is a Barrier to Gene Flow among Aedes aegypti Populations in Mexico That Differ in Vector Competence for Dengue 2 Virus

The Neovolcanic axis (NVA) traverses Mexico at the 19th parallel and is considered to be a geographic barrier to many species. We have demonstrated that the intersection of the NVA with the coast in Veracruz state is a barrier to gene flow in Ae. aegypti. This was unexpected because the intersection of the NVA with the Pacific Coast is not a barrier to gene flow. Further studies to identify the actual mechanism(s) that is(are) contributing to the lack of gene flow will provide important information on the trafficking potential of Ae. aegypti, which will be of great value to Ae. aegypti control programs. There are significant differences in vector competence for dengue virus between mosquitoes north and south of the NVA, but the epidemiological significance of these finding remains to be determined. Future studies will determine if, for example, the genes that condition midgut infection and vector competence of Ae. aegypti populations provide biomarkers for risk of dengue transmission. Such biomarkers could be of great value to control programs in resource limited environments by allowing targeting of vector control efforts to areas at most risk for epidemic dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever

Alternative patterns of sex chromosome differentiation in Aedes aegypti (L).

BACKGROUND: Some populations of West African Aedes aegypti, the dengue and zika vector, are reproductively incompatible; our earlier study showed that divergence and rearrangements of genes on chromosome 1, which bears the sex locus (M), may be involved. We also previously described a proposed cryptic subspecies SenAae (PK10, Senegal) that had many more high inter-sex FST genes on chromosome 1 than did Ae.aegypti aegypti (Aaa, Pai Lom, Thailand). The current work more thoroughly explores the significance of those findings. RESULTS: Intersex standardized variance (FST) of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was characterized from genomic exome capture libraries of both sexes in representative natural populations of Aaa and SenAae. Our goal was to identify SNPs that varied in frequency between males and females, and most were expected to occur on chromosome 1. Use of the assembled AaegL4 reference alleviated the previous problem of unmapped genes. Because the M locus gene nix was not captured and not present in AaegL4, the male-determining locus, per se, was not explored. Sex-associated genes were those with FST values ≥ 0.100 and/or with increased expected heterozygosity (H exp , one-sided T-test, p < 0.05) in males. There were 85 genes common to both collections with high inter-sex FST values; all genes but one were located on chromosome 1. Aaa showed the expected cluster of high inter-sex FST genes proximal to the M locus, whereas SenAae had inter-sex FST genes along the length of chromosome 1. In addition, the Aaa M-locus proximal region showed increased H exp levels in males, whereas SenAae did not. In SenAae, chromosomal rearrangements and subsequent suppressed recombination may have accelerated X-Y differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence presented here is consistent with differential evolution of proto-Y chromosomes in Aaa and SenAae

Potential Use of Google Earth and Geographical Information System (GIS) Software in a Basic Dengue Decision Support System Framework.

<p>Adapted from a schematic published previously by Lozano-Fuentes et al. (2008) in the <i>Bulletin of the World Health Organization </i><a href="http://www.plosntds.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pntd.0000411#pntd.0000411-LozanoFuentes1" target="_blank">[11]</a>.</p

Distribution of City Blocks with Dengue Cases (Filled) versus City Blocks without Dengue Cases (Unfilled) in 2006 in Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico.

<p>This map was published previously by Lozano-Fuentes et al. (2008) in the <i>Bulletin of the World Health Organization </i><a href="http://www.plosntds.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pntd.0000411#pntd.0000411-LozanoFuentes1" target="_blank">[11]</a>.</p