Presentation by Virginia Estevez and Lorenzo de Simone from ECDC on Esri European User Conference 2011.

1. Geospatial information, a key element to
strength Europe’s defences against infectious
diseases: the ECDC experience
ESRI European Users Conference Dr. Virginia Estevez, Senior Expert GIS
October 26-28, 2011 Madrid Dr. Lorenzo de Simone, Scientific Officer GIS

2. Aim of the briefing
• ECDC and its mission
• Current geospatial information available and the context in
which it is used to monitor and respond to current infectious disease threats
in Europe
• Future development plans to
create a centralized GIS
platform
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

3. ECDC
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), is the
European Union agency with the responsibility to strengthen Europe's
defences against infectious diseases.
Mission
To identify, assess and
communicate current and
emerging threats to human
Health posed by infectious
diseases, and to support and
help coordinate European Union
countries’ preparedness and
response capacities.
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

4. GIS Team
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

5. Current geospatial information available
and context in which it is used
Before creation of GIS team
• ESRI datasets (VMAP0): Admin. boundaries, hydrographic network…
• Population data from EUROSTAT
• Other datasets disperse: Raster/Vector/Tables
• Environmental datasets from the European Environment &
Epidemiology (E3) network
After creation of GIS team
• Acquisition of NUTS 0, 1, 2, 3
• GAUL data (0,1,2)
• In process to collect geo-reference health data
• In process to collect a good repository of raster/
vector maps worldwide
• Some specific datasets from GISCO geodatabase
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

6. GIS Needs Assessment Report
GIS (Core Function at ECDC)
Monitoring Early warning Outbreak assessment Inputs scientific network
trends functions Field epidemiology Multidisciplinary approach
Health threats Responses
Preparedness
Surveillance Epidemic Response Scientific Advice / Disease
Intelligence Specific Programs
i.e. TESSy i.e. EPIs i.e. TTT i.e. E3, VBornet …
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

7. Surveillance
• Identify spatial trends of diseases
• Retrospective analysis
• Descriptive maps
• Reports for publication
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

8. Surveillance
Joint
Zoonosis
report
(ECDC /
EFSA)
Source: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/doc/1496.pdf
Distribution of Echinococcus spp., E. multilocularis and E. granulosus in humans, 2007-2009
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

9. GIS (Core Function at ECDC)
Monitoring Early warning Outbreak assessment Inputs scientific network
trends functions Field epidemiology Multidisciplinary approach
Health threats Responses
Preparedness
Surveillance Epidemic Response Scientific Advice / DSPs
Intelligence
i.e. TESSy i.e. EPIs i.e. TTT i.e. E3, VBornet …
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

10. Epidemic Intelligence
Early warning functions
Monitoring of health events
Follow up of health events
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

11. Epidemic Intelligence
Early warning functions
Monitoring of health events
Follow up of health events.
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

12. Spread of influenza A(H1)/A(H1N1) in
EU/EEA countries
No Week 38/2009
report
No
activity
Sporadic
Local
Regional
Wide-
spread
Source: http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/healthtopics/influenza/epidemiological_data/Pages/influenza_activity_EU_EEA_activity_maps.aspx
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

13. GIS (Core Function at ECDC)
Monitoring Early warning Outbreak assessment Inputs scientific network
trends functions Field epidemiology Multidisciplinary approach
Health threats Responses
Preparedness
Surveillance Epidemic Response Scientific Advice / DSPs
Intelligence
i.e. TESSy i.e. EPIs i.e. TTT i.e. E3, VBornet …
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

14. Response
Outbreak assessment / Risk assessment / Risk analysis
Short Term protection / Prospective analysis
Source: http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/activities/diseaseprogrammes/emerging_and_vector_borne_diseases/PublishingImages/110623_West_Nile_map_2010_high_res.JPG
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

15. GIS (Core Function at ECDC)
Monitoring Early warning Outbreak assessment Inputs scientific network
trends functions Field epidemiology Multidisciplinary approach
Health threats Responses
Preparedness
Surveillance Epidemic Response Scientific Advice / DSPs
Intelligence
i.e. TESSy i.e. EPIs i.e. TTT i.e. E3, VBornet …
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

16. Scientific Advice /
Disease Specific Projects
• Links to Environmental / Socio-economic data
• Inputs scientific network / expertise
• Long term projections
• Climatic impact & burden of diseases
• Risk mapping & collaboration with external partners of public
health arena
• Multidisciplinary approach
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

17. Current known distribution of Aedes aegypti
June 2011
Source: http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/activities/diseaseprogrammes/emerging_and_vector_borne_diseases/Pages/VBORNET_maps.aspx
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

18. Source: http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/0905_TER_Development_of_Aedes_Albopictus_Risk_Maps.pdf
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

19. Prospective impact of climate change on Aedes albopictus distribution in Europe: minimal impact, long-term change scenario
Source: http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/0905_TER_Development_of_Aedes_Albopictus_Risk_Maps.pdf
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

20. The future ….
Enterprise GIS for ECDC
Based on:
1. GIS Needs Assessment Report produced in June 2010
2. Centralized GIS platform that will support disease mapping,
data analysis and data sharing among ECDC experts and
potentially to extranet public
3. Compilation of standardized spatial data
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

21. Enterprise GIS
ECDC MAP MAKER APPLICATION (EMMA)
1st Phase 2nd Phase 3rd Phase
Disease Development of
Mapping Connection to
Other Internal Analytical Functions
Application & Geoportal Capabilities
Systems
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

22. ECDC MAP MAKER APPLICATION (EMMA)
1st Phase: Disease Mapping Application
• Rapid & friendly web application
• Inclusion of an entry data module to facilitate mapping work
• Update & edit event data
• Elaboration of two types of maps: choropleth
& graduated symbols
• Possibility to map various spatial resolutions
(NUTS)
• Customized data classification
• Provision of standard GIS tools
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

23. ECDC MAP MAKER APPLICATION (EMMA)
2nd Phase: Integration with Internal Systems
New projects
• Creation of specific mapping environments
Projects already ongoing
• Development of a mapping interface within their
own environments
• Inclusion of specific data entry modules to
facilitate mapping work
• Establishment of map services
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

24. ECDC MAP MAKER APPLICATION (EMMA)
Analytical functionalities, Geoportal capabilities
Harmonization of all GIS modules
• Development of spatial analysis techniques: Buffering, cluster detection, etc.
• Development of Geoportal functionalities: drag & drop of selected datasets,
elaborated maps, map templates,
metadata files visualization & editing, etc.
• Integration of all mapping applications &
functionalities within a common platform
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

25. Conclusions
Spatial information combined with GIS within Public Health:
• Allows managing emergencies: risk assessments, monitoring outbreaks, etc...
• Contributes to achieving public health objectives
• Plays an essential role in publich health communication
• Provides scientific evidence
Spatial information at ECDC:
• Can be used within a wide diversity of areas: from emergencies to long term
predictions
• Provides timely information
• Is a cost effective resource
• Plays a unifying role: Integrates different objectives, projects & expertises
within the organization
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid

26. Thank you for your attention!!!
Dr. Virginia Estévez Adán
+46 858 60 13 52
virginia.estevez@ecdc.europa.eu
Geospatial information, a key element to strength Europe’s ESRI European Users Conference
Defences against infectious diseases: the ECDC experience October 26-28, 2011 Madrid