Geographical information systems and tropical medicine

• Authors: OA Khan, University of Vermont; W Davenhall, ESRI Inc.; M Ali, Seoul National University; C Castillo-Salgado, Johns Hopkins University; G Vazquez-Prokopec, Emory University; Uriel Kitron, Emory University; RJS Magalhaes, University of Queensland; ACA Clements, University of Queensland
• Journal Title: Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology
• Volume: Volume 104, Number 4
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis: STM, Behavioural Science and Public Health Titles | 2010-06-01, Pages 303-318
• Type of Work: Article | Post-print: After Peer Review
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1179/136485910X12743554759867
• Subjects: Environmental Sciences
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Parasitology; Tropical Medicine; TRANSMITTED HELMINTH INFECTIONS; SPATIAL RISK PREDICTION; VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES; WESTERN COTE-DIVOIRE; LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS; GEOSTATISTICAL PREDICTION; SCHISTOSOMIASIS CONTROL; HERD-IMMUNITY; EPIDEMIOLOGY; VACCINE

Abstract

In terms of their applicability to the field of tropical medicine, geographical information systems (GIS) have developed enormously in the last two decades. This article reviews some of the pertinent and representative applications of GIS, including the use of such systems and remote sensing for the mapping of Chagas disease and human helminthiases, the use of GIS in vaccine trials, and the global applications of GIS for health-information management, disease epidemiology, and pandemic planning. The future use of GIS as a decision-making tool and some barriers to the widespread implementation of such systems in developing settings are also discussed.