Enabling Multicentric Participatory Disease Surveillance for Global Health Enhancement: Viewpoint on Global Flu View

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Digital Health

Background:

• Participatory surveillance (PS) involves direct public engagement for data transmission and reception.
• PS enables early detection of emerging diseases and symptom clusters, indicating potential outbreaks.
• Influenza-like illness (ILI) is a significant annual health threat requiring global monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce Global Flu View (GFV), the first system merging ILI data from multiple countries for global surveillance.
• To establish a digital ecosystem for real-time, spatial, and temporal visualization of syndromic trends.
• To create a dynamic knowledge network fostering collaboration among public health practitioners, data scientists, and researchers.

Main Methods:

• Development of a digital platform integrating data from various ILI PS programs via an API.
• Restructuring the platform to facilitate an open data channel for experience sharing.
• Redesigning GFV as a knowledge exchange hub for participatory ILI surveillance.

Main Results:

• GFV provides near real-time, weekly updated maps of global ILI syndromic trends.
• The platform facilitates spatial and temporal visualization of ILI data across continents.
• GFV has evolved into a collaborative network for public health knowledge exchange.

Conclusions:

• Globally integrated PS data, exemplified by GFV, is valuable for pandemic preparedness.
• GFV empowers public health professionals and researchers through data sharing and collaboration.
• Engaging the public in surveillance enhances collective health awareness and response capabilities.