A Web-based geographic information system for the management of animal disease epidemics

Outbreaks of highly contagious animal diseases severely affect the global economy, seriously disrupting domestic economies and the international trade of livestock and animal commodities. Italy has a series of contingency plans for the management of outbreaks of all major animal diseases. Disease control measures are mainly based on a traditional approach and eradication policies range from culling and stamping-out to movement restrictions of animals and commodities. Given the marked terrain differences in Italy, the uneven distribution of farms and animal population, the presence of potential disease hotspots constituted by high-density clusters of farms and animals, etc., maps have always been a common working tool for the Italian veterinary services to identify location of premises, define the perimeter of the infected and control zones, etc. The Italian Ministry of Health has requested an integrated system for the management of veterinary emergencies. One of the main features of the system is an interactive, customisable and user-friendly Web-based geographic information system (GIS). The Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise 'G. Caporale' has been entrusted with the development of a system that provides different administrative levels with a spatial decisional and management tool to assist them in case of epidemics. A Web-based GIS has been designed to integrate epidemiological information with the corresponding geographic component. The system works on a disease basis (disease-specific maps) for fifteen of the most contagious diseases and is accessible through the Web, allowing for real-time recording of new outbreaks.