Infectious Diseases Seeker (IDS): An Innovative Tool for Prompt Identification of Infectious Diseases during...

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health Informatics
• Infectious Disease Surveillance

Background:

• Rapid molecular identification and monitoring tools are crucial for timely outbreak detection but often require expert access and resources.
• Field investigations by non-specialists facing limited data, time, and infrastructure necessitate simple, effective tools for agent identification and outbreak management.
• A prompt, user-friendly, and accessible tool with high sensitivity and precision can significantly enhance emergency response and public health investigations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and test an innovative software tool, Infectious Diseases Seeker (IDS), for the prompt identification of infectious diseases during outbreaks.
• To provide a user-friendly, offline-capable solution for rapid agent identification in resource-limited field settings.

Main Methods:

• Developed IDS as a standalone software compatible with common operating systems.
• Integrated a database of 60 disease agents and COVID-19 data, enabling offline functionality.
• Tested IDS in a complex real-world scenario in Nigeria with co-occurring Yellow Fever, COVID-19, and Lassa Fever outbreaks.

Main Results:

• The application of IDS in Nigeria correctly inferred the presence of Yellow Fever (YF) as the primary agent of concern, distinguishing it from Lassa Fever.
• Demonstrated the tool's capability in a scenario involving multiple concurrent infectious diseases.

Conclusions:

• The Infectious Diseases Seeker (IDS) tool shows significant potential for the rapid and accurate identification and differentiation of infectious disease outbreaks.
• IDS can be a valuable asset for public health emergencies, particularly in complex situations with co-occurring outbreaks, such as the Yellow Fever and COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.