GIS, remote sensing and spatial analysis for vector-borne diseases

Published on October 26, 2010   48 min

A selection of talks on Infectious Diseases

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0:00
In this lecture, Uriel Kitron and Gonzalo Vasquez-Prokopec from the department of Environmental Studies at Emory University will describe a set of spatial tools for analysis of vector-borne diseases. This will include geographic information systems-- or GIS-- remote sensing, and spatial analysis.
0:23
When we talk about spatial analysis for vector-borne diseases, there are a variety of factors we need to consider. Whether we talk about spatial analysis for surveillance and control or for research about transmission of vector-borne diseases. There are a variety of tools we have to consider, ranging from global positioning systems through geographic information system and remote sensing to analytical tools with a statistical or modeling. When we talk about spatial statistics, there is a whole range of tools developed by different disciplines that have been applied to spatial data. Approaches such as landscape ecology and metapopulation biology provide a theoretical framework of spatial analysis of vector-borne diseases. We always have to be aware of issues in scale and resolution that determine the tools we are using, the questions we can ask, and the type of answer that we get. Risk maps have been one of the most visible outcomes of applying spacial analysis for vector-borne diseases. We will end this presentation by discussing opportunities and limitation of spatial analysis of vector-borne diseases.
1:36
From the research point of view, the type of questions we can utilize spatial analysis for include questions about the determinants of transmission and risk of transmission. What spatial determinants are responsible for transmission to occur in a given location and at a given time? We can talk about the associations of risk factors with disease and how the spatial associations interact with the temporal processes. Finally, with many of the new and emerging diseases being vector-borne diseases, often zoonosis, we can use spatial tools to ask questions and to try and answer them about the origins of disease and risk for establishment of new diseases.

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GIS, remote sensing and spatial analysis for vector-borne diseases

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