Developing open source, self-contained disease surveillance software applications for use in resource-limited...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Resource-limited countries are origins of emerging public health threats.
• Revised International Health Regulations (2005) mandate enhanced reporting and response capabilities.
• Electronic biosurveillance systems offer timely data collection, early outbreak detection, and improved situational awareness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce two open-source electronic biosurveillance systems designed for resource-limited settings.
• To address the need for improved public health surveillance and compliance with International Health Regulations.

Main Methods:

• Development of OpenESSENCE (web-based) and ESSENCE Desktop Edition (offline) by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
• Both systems are part of the Suite for Automated Global bioSurveillance (SAGES) program.
• Systems can utilize local cell phone technologies for data collection.

Main Results:

• ESSENCE Desktop Edition deployed in the Philippines for two years.
• Rapid adoption by local health clinics for daily reporting.
• Eliminated a two-to-three week data lag compared to previous paper-based systems.

Conclusions:

• OpenESSENCE and ESSENCE Desktop Edition significantly improve disease surveillance in resource-limited areas.
• These open-source tools support compliance with revised International Health Regulations.
• Emerging surveillance technologies are crucial for global public health security.