The presentation is a review of the Global Infectious Disease and Epidemiology Online Network (GIDEON) tool. It is a web-based Infectious Disease Diagnosis computer program that constructs a differential diagnosis [DD], ranked in order of percent probability based on specific clinical data entered by user in the field of Geographic Medicine. The primary aim of GIDEON is to help physicians diagnose infectious diseases originating from or within any country of the world at the point-of-care. Other than as a clinical decision support system providing up-to-date evidence-based resource, the tool is a vast reservoir of country-specific information on epidemiology, anti-infective drugs and vaccines and a resource for teaching in the fields of Tropical & Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology and Microbiology.

1. Global Infectious Disease and
Epidemiology Online Network
GIDEON
By
Abel Medhanie Gebreyesus
Sunil Nair
HINF6230 – Technology Assessment

2. Important Numbers
 345 Diseases
 231 Countries
 339 Drugs & Vaccines
 1409 Microbes
 35,800 References
 16,228 Country Specific Notes
 6,835 Disease outbreaks
 4,205 Images and Maps
Source:www.ebscohost.com
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3. GIDEON
 Web-based Infectious Disease Diagnosis
computer program that constructs a differential
diagnosis [DD], ranked in order of percent
probability based on specific clinical data
entered by user.
 Updated weekly
 CD-ROM updated every month
 Developed in 1994, Proprietary – Subscription.
 Used in 1500 Institutions worldwide
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4. GIDEON Users
 Emergency room Physicians
 Infectious Disease Specialist
 Public Health Officials
 Pediatricians
 Medical Schools
 Other Health care workers
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5. Highlights
 Point-of-care
 Current or up-to-date
 Diagnosis, Treatment, teaching resource
 Global
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6. GIDEON Modules
 Diagnosis
 out put differential diagnosis
 “why not”
 Epidemiology
 Transmission, diagnosis and treatment
 Country specific.
 Therapy
 Drugs, vaccines, interactions, adverse effects
 Microbiology
 Identify the Pathogen
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7. DIAGNOSIS
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8. EPIDEMIOLOGY
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9. THERAPY
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10. MICROBIOLOGY
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11. DEMO
 DIAGNOSTIC MODULE
 EPIDEMIOLOGY MODULE
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12. HOW GIDEON WORKS
 PROBABILISTIC SYSTEM
 BAYESIAN THEOREM
 MySQL DATABASES
 WEB-INTERFACE USING PHP
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13. GIDEON Model
MEDICAL
BAYESIAN
EXPERT
DATA NETWORK
KNOWLEDGE
BASE
USER
END USER INFERENCE
INTERFACE
ENGINE
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15. Bayesian Theorem
 Application in clinical decision making
 estimate the probability of a particular
diagnosis given specific signs, symptoms, or
test outcomes.
 Sensitivity and Specificity
 Conditional Probability: given that test is +ve
[-ve] then diagnosis is true [false]
 Complexity of the Statistical inference
depends on Specificity of the patient findings.
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16. Comparison
System Name Purpose Evaluation*
Computer Program for Provide DD, general n=295, Accurately
Diagnosing and info on pathogens and diagnosed 75% cases.
Teaching Geographic vaccines of Infectious Clinical diagnosis
Medicine Diseases listed in 94.7% cases.
Provides DD based on n=103, Accurately
Dxplain
clinician entered Signs diagnosed 73% cases.
& Symptoms. Updated
weekly.
DD, Updated weekly. n=86, Accuracy of
GIDEON
info on epidemiology, clinical diagnosis 33%
therapy and compared to Medical
Microbiology officers with 87%
correct diagnosis.
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17. LIMITATIONS
 Accuracy
 Correct diagnosis listed down in order
 Study – correct diagnosis listed 69%; ranked first 60% of the
time.
 Depends on Quality of input data
 Presence of irrelevant data
 Complex [co-morbid] cases
 Reliance on literature for data
 Delay in database update
 Not User Specific and area specific
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18. Conclusion
 GIDEON is an impressive tool in infectious
disease diagnosis that uses the power of the
internet to provide access to and presentation of
data to the infectious disease community.
 There is need for further evaluation with regards
to accuracy
 Should have separate versions focusing on
specific user groups.
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19. References
 Stephen A Berger GIDEON: a comprehensive Web-based resource
for geographic medicine Published: 22 April 2005 International
Journal of Health Geographics 2005, 4:10
 Stephen C. Edberg , Global Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology
Network (GIDEON): A World Wide Web–Based Program for
Diagnosis and Informatics in Infectious Diseases, Clinical Infectious
Diseases 2005;40:123–126
 Dena M. Bravata et al., Evaluating Detection and Diagnostic
Decision Support Systems for Bioterrorism Response. Emerging
Infectious Diseases • www.cdc.gov/eid • Vol. 10, No. 1, January
2004
 Global Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology Network (GIDEON)
Julia Kulla-Mader INLS 279: Bioinformatics Research Review 2006-
04-12
 Use of the Computer Program GIDEON at an Inpatient Infectious
Diseases Consultation Service Robert F. Luo and John G. Bartlett
Clinical Infectious Diseases 2006; 42:157–7 _ 2005
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