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

Abstract

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

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