Digital Epidemiology

It’s the science of conducting

epidemiologic studies using

data coming from digital tools

and sensors, eg the internet or

the smartphones.

Possible Applications

• People movements during outbreaks

• Unusual diseases manifestations in

remote places

• Real time influenza monitoring

• Vaccination confidence

• Information monitoring

Real Examples

Chunara R, Bouton L, Ayers JW, Brownstein JS (2013)

Assessing the Online Social Environment for Surveillance of

Obesity Prevalence.

PLoS ONE 8(4): e61373. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0061373

Bengtsson L, Lu X, Thorson A, Garfield R, von Schreeb J (2011)

Improved Response to Disasters and Outbreaks by Tracking

Population Movements with Mobile Phone Network Data: A Post-

Earthquake Geospatial Study in Haiti.

PLoS Med 8(8): e1001083. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001083

Jeremy Ginsberg1, Matthew H. Mohebbi1, Rajan S. Patel1, Lynnette Brammer2, Mark

S. Smolinski1 & Larry Brilliant1

Detecting influenza epidemics using search engine query data

Nature 457: 1012–1014 doi:10.1038/nature07634.

Online Tools

• Influweb

• Google Flu Trends

• Health map

Our Work

• Twitter flu trends

• Allergy trends

• Maternal Health Monitor

• Vaccination Confidence