Web-based surveillance alert system for the risks of arboviruses by region.
Coordination: Flavio C Coelho (FGV-EMAp), Cláudia T Codeço (Fiocruz), Oswaldo G Cruz (Fiocruz).
Organization: School of Applied Mathematics (EMAp).
Fiocruz
Applied Research Fund (FGV)
Scientific Computation Program (PROCC)
Support:
Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG)
Federal University of Paraná (UFPR)
Municipal Department of Health of Rio de Janeiro
State Department of Health of Rio de Janeiro
Municipality of Contagem
Municipality of São José do Rio Preto
Municipality of Sete Lagoas
State Department of Health of Ceará
State Department of Health of Espírito Santo
State Department of Health of Paraná
National Center of Surveillance and Alerts for Natural Disasters (Cemaden)
Objective:
Enable quick access to information about regions with the highest levels of transmission of arboviruses in order to facilitate preventive actions and counteractive measures of the competent organs.
Research methodology:
- • InfoDengue uses a series of mathematical and statistical models and cross-references data on epidemics, meteorology, and social media.
- • The epidemiological data are received from the Municipal and State Departments of Health.
- • The information about meteorology is produced by the National Center of Surveillance and Alerts for Natural Disasters (Cemaden) and the analyses of the messages mentioning the disease on social media are conducted with the support of the Dengue Observatory of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG).
Results:
- • InfoDengue provides continuous analyses in the form of weekly reports sent via email to 790 Municipalities in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Ceará, São Paulo, and Espírito Santo. As such, the software enables the improvement of response time of public health authorities in regards to demand management and control of arboviruses.
Prinicipal Innovations:
- • InfoDengue offers quick online access to information to all citizens, students, professors, researchers, and anyone interested in understanding the state of dengue transmissions in their municipalities.
- • Thanks to the alerts generated almost at real time, the Regional Health Surveillance Departments can make quicker and more effective decisions in regards to preventive health programs.
- • InfoDengue cross-references data from various sources including climate, social networks, and official communication data in order to identify disease outbreaks and anticipate the preparation of combat against possible epidemics.
- • Delivery of weekly updated reports sent via e-mail, which contain different levels of alerts informing on the possibility of epidemic (red alert), disease transmission (orange alert), necessary caution (yellow alert), and low risk of disease (green alert).
Impact of the study and future challenges:
Over the last 4 years, E- surveillance has been gaining more recognition as an innovative tool enabling evidence-based management in public healthcare. In the future, the goal is to extend the surveillance to other municipalities of Brazil through new co-operation agreements with the municipalities. In addition, other Latin American countries, which have demonstrated interest in the adoption of E-surveillance, could be included in the system.