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Abstract

FTO2/438: Implementation of a Telematics System for the Management of Epidemic Emergencies

S Bellini; P Colangeli; E Isocrono; A Giovannini; C Di Francesco; V Caporale

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise, Teramo, Italy


ABSTRACT

Introduction: A system to support decisions and operations in cases of epidemic emergency has been designed and implemented, in order to improve the decision-making capabilities of Veterinary Services for outbreaks of exotic diseases.
Methods: The system implementation consisted of: 1) drafting contingency plans for OIE List A diseases; 2) implementing an automated information network, linking Local Veterinary Unit and the Regional Epidemiological Centre; 3) implementing a Geographical Information System (GIS), to be automatically connected to the animal identification database and to the ANIMO (Animal Movement) system; 4) supplying the personnel of Veterinary Services with the necessary tools, instruments and materials; 5) personnel training. Integration of activities led to the implementation of a telematic support system for the management of epidemic emergencies, providing the Veterinary Services with the information necessary to the management of exotic disease outbreaks. The system has been implemented from a structural point of view as follows:
  1. Data warehouse design and implementation, fed by ORACLE DATA MART SUITE operational databases,
  2. Implementation within the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise Web site, of a controlled access telematic system, where:
    • static pages were implemented in HTML and the dynamic ones in PERL;
    • GIS was used to design and update maps;
    • Downloading of documents and forms was made possible as well as the generation of tables and graphs in real time.
Results: In the event of an outbreak it is possible to: map relevant data and information (i.e. Protection and Surveillance Zones); to produce disease trend data both in tabular and graphical form and the indicators for the disease management and control. Contingency plans of OIE list A disease are provided through the Internet for consultation and downloading. All the forms for administrative and epidemiological data collection are provided for and can sent by e-mail to the proper veterinary authority and other stakeholders.
Discussion: The system has been tested both by a simulated foot and mouth disease outbreak and a real Swine Vesicular Disease outbreak. The existence of written and standardised procedures, the availability of updated and pertinent information for outbreaks management and the support of a telematic system has allowed the rationalisation the actions to be implemented and to speed up intervention time.

(J Med Internet Res 1999;1(suppl1):e27)
doi:10.2196/jmir.1.suppl1.e27

KEYWORDS

Telematic System; Disease Outbreak Management; Epidemic Emergencies;



Edited by G. Eysenbach; This is a non-peer-reviewed article. published 19.09.99

Please cite as:
Bellini S, Colangeli P, Isocrono E, Giovannini A, Di Francesco C, Caporale V
FTO2/438: Implementation of a Telematics System for the Management of Epidemic Emergencies
J Med Internet Res 1999;1(suppl1):e27
URL: http://www.jmir.org/1999/suppl1/e27/
doi: 10.2196/jmir.1.suppl1.e27
PMID:

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Copyright

Except where otherwise noted, articles published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.