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Google Earth and Disease Outbreaks

One of the hazards of large interconnected networks of people is the ease with which diseases can spread. Connections with friends allow you to learn about new products but they also make you susceptible to catching diseases. The challenge for scientists as they attempt to analyze and prevent outbreaks is to discover the underlying network structure and track the source and spread of disease. This is not always an easy task, since networks of people tend to be quite complex and the transmission mechanisms of diseases are sometimes unknown.

Recently, a team of scientists studying typhoid have used new technologies to map the spread of the disease. The two tools that have allowed them to do this are DNA sequencing and Google Earth. DNA sequencing is important for understanding the disease and how it is mutating over time. Google Earth was used to make a map of cases of the disease, with GPS data provided by health workers when they visited the homes of infected individuals. The map allows for analysis of how and where typhoid is spreading. The researchers discovered that the people who are particularly at risk are those living near a water spout or at low elevations. This suggests that typhoid is transmitted through the environment, rather than through infected individuals. Perhaps, with the availability of these technologies, disease transmission through networks can be studied more effectively and epidemics can be lessened or even prevented.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/health-in-national/google-earth-used-to-map-infectious-disease-spread

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