We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Google Searches Can Track Dengue Fever Outbreaks

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 01 Aug 2017
Print article
Image: Google search trends can help identify dengue outbreaks (Photo courtesy of Google).
Image: Google search trends can help identify dengue outbreaks (Photo courtesy of Google).
An analytical tool that combines Google (Mountain View, CA, USA) search data with government-provided clinical data can quickly and accurately track dengue fever in less-developed countries, according to a new study.

Researchers at Harvard University (Cambridge, MA, USA) and Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH; MA, USA) modified a mathematical modeling tool known as AutoRegression with GOogle search queries (ARGO) to explore its potential to track dengue activity in Mexico, Brazil, Thailand, Singapore, and Taiwan. The researchers used Google Trends to track the top ten dengue-related search queries made by users in each country during the study period; they also gathered historical dengue data from government health agencies and input both datasets into ARGO.

Using the assumption that more dengue-related searches occur when more people are infected, the researchers used ARGO to calculate near real-time estimates of dengue prevalence for each country. When ARGO's estimates were compared with those of five other methods, it returned more accurate estimates than did any other method for Mexico, Brazil, Thailand, and Singapore. Estimates for Taiwan were less accurate, possibly because the country experienced less-consistent seasonal disease patterns from year to year. The study was published on July 20, 2017, in PLOS Computational Biology.

“The wide availability of internet throughout the globe provides the potential for an alternative way to reliably track infectious diseases, such as dengue, faster than traditional clinical-based systems,” said senior author Mauricio Santillana, PhD, of BCH and HMS. “This alternative way of tracking disease could be used to alert governments and hospitals when elevated dengue incidence is anticipated, and provide safety information for travelers.”

Dengue transmission is subject to complex environmental factors influencing the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which spread the disease. A mosquito is able to transmit dengue within a few weeks of contracting the virus, and a person bitten by such a mosquito will usually fall ill within a week, with symptoms lasting for up to 10 days afterward. There is thus a 5-day window when another mosquito can pick up the virus from an infected person. The time scale of these transmission dynamics lends itself to tracking patterns of infection at a weekly or monthly level.

Related Links:
Harvard University
Boston Children’s Hospital
Gold Member
POC Blood Gas Analyzer
Stat Profile Prime Plus
Gold Member
SARS‑CoV‑2/Flu A/Flu B/RSV Sample-To-Answer Test
SARS‑CoV‑2/Flu A/Flu B/RSV Cartridge (CE-IVD)
Silver Member
Compact 14-Day Uninterrupted Holter ECG
NR-314P
New
Electrosurgical Unit
es 120

Print article

Channels

Critical Care

view channel
Image: Researchers have developed a novel risk score for cardiovascular complications after bone marrow transplant (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Novel Tool Predicts Cardiovascular Risks after Bone Marrow Transplantation

Every year, thousands of people undergo bone marrow transplants to potentially cure serious diseases like leukemia, lymphoma, and immune deficiency disorders. While these transplants can be lifesaving,... Read more

Surgical Techniques

view channel
Image: The Early Bird Bleed Monitoring System provides visual and audible indicators of the onset and progression of bleeding events (Photo courtesy of Saranas)

Novel Technology Monitors and Lowers Bleeding Complications in Patients Undergoing Heart Procedures

Bleeding complications at the femoral access site can significantly hamper recovery, affecting the success of procedures, patient satisfaction, and overall healthcare costs. It is crucial for surgeons... Read more

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The newly-launched solution can transform operating room scheduling and boost utilization rates (Photo courtesy of Fujitsu)

Surgical Capacity Optimization Solution Helps Hospitals Boost OR Utilization

An innovative solution has the capability to transform surgical capacity utilization by targeting the root cause of surgical block time inefficiencies. Fujitsu Limited’s (Tokyo, Japan) Surgical Capacity... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
Image: The new eye-safe laser technology can diagnose traumatic brain injury (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Novel Diagnostic Hand-Held Device Detects Known Biomarkers for Traumatic Brain Injury

The growing need for prompt and efficient diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI), a major cause of mortality globally, has spurred the development of innovative diagnostic technologies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.