Geographic information systems: their application in animal disease control

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Science
• Geographic Information Science

Background:

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are advanced computerized systems for managing geographically referenced data.
• Applications of GIS extend to environmental management and town planning.
• GIS technology possesses features suitable for animal disease control, including data storage and spatial analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential applications of GIS in animal disease control.
• To highlight the advantages of using GIS for veterinary purposes.
• To present case studies of GIS implementation in New Zealand for animal health.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing GIS for capturing, storing, manipulating, analyzing, and displaying geographically referenced data.
• Integrating demographic, causal factors, and disease incidence data within a spatial framework.
• Applying various spatial analysis functions to understand disease patterns.

Main Results:

• GIS enables the storage of diverse data types relevant to animal health on a geographical background.
• Spatial analysis functions within GIS can reveal patterns and relationships in disease incidence.
• The study discusses specific veterinary applications and case examples from New Zealand.

Conclusions:

• GIS is a valuable technology for enhancing animal disease control strategies.
• The integration of spatial data and analysis offers significant benefits for veterinary epidemiology.
• Successful implementation of GIS in New Zealand demonstrates its practical utility in managing animal health issues.