Re-emerging Infectious Disease (RED) Alert tool

• DOI: 10.5210/ojphi.v10i1.8421
• Publication Date: 2019-10-17T14:17:06Z
• Authors: Maneesha Chitanvis; Ashlynn Daughton; Forest M Altherr; Geoffery Fairchild; William Rosenberger; Emily Alipio Lyon; Attelia Hollander; Nileena Velappa; Derek Aberle; Nidhi Parikh; Alina Deshpande
• Keywords: Public health surveillance; Disease Surveillance

Objective: Although relying on verbal definitions of "re-emergence", descriptions that classify a “re-emergence” event as any significant recurrence disease had previously been under public health control, and subjective interpretations these events is currently the conventional practice, this has potential to hinder effective responses. Defining re-emergence in manner offers limited ability for ad hoc analysis prevention control measures facilitates non-reproducible assessments potentially high consequence. Re-emerging infectious alert (RED Alert) decision-support tool designed address issue by enhancing situational awareness providing spatiotemporal context through incidence pattern following an may represent local (country-level) re-emergence. The tool’s analytics also provide users with associated causes (socioeconomic indicators) related event, guide hypothesis-generation regarding global scenario.Introduction: Definitions “re-emerging diseases” typically encompass occurrence was historic threat, declined dramatically, since presented itself again problem. Examples include antimicrobial resistance leading resurgence tuberculosis, or measles re-appearing protected communities. While language definition sensitive enough capture most epidemiologically relevant resurgences, its qualitative nature obfuscates quantitatively such.Methods: Our automatically computes performs trend analyses help elucidate which user considered true subset pertinent diseases (measles, cholera, yellow fever, dengue). outputs data visualizations illustrate trends diverse informative ways. Additionally, we categorize location incidence-specific indicators well justifications documentation users’ next steps. houses interactive maps facilitate hypothesis-generation.Results: These contextualization user’s situation similar locations. broadens users' understanding given likely re-emergence, investigate factors relevance spatial visualization.Conclusions: inability categorically name such due lack standardization and/or availability reproducible, data-based evidence, hinders timely response planning. will not explicitly call out scenario re-emergent not, both time space, RED Alert aims empower order substantially enhance their contextual awareness; thus, better enabling them formulate plans action re-emerging threats at country level.