%0 Journal Article
%T Advancements in web-database applications for rabies surveillance
%A Erin E Rees
%A Bruno Gendron
%A Fr¨¦d¨¦rick Leli¨¨vre
%A Nathalie Cot¨¦
%A Denise B¨¦langer
%J International Journal of Health Geographics
%D 2011
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1476-072x-10-48
%X RageDB incorporates data from, and grants access to, all agencies responsible for the surveillance of raccoon rabies in Qu¨¦bec. Technological advancements of RageDB to rabies surveillance databases include 1) automatic integration of multi-agency data and diagnostic results on a daily basis; 2) a web-based data editing interface that enables authorized users to add, edit and extract data; and 3) an interactive dashboard to help visualize data simply and efficiently, in table, chart, and cartographic formats. Furthermore, RageDB stores data from citizens who voluntarily report sightings of rabies suspect animals. We also discuss how sightings data can indicate public perception to the risk of racoon rabies and thus aid in directing the allocation of disease control resources for protecting public health.RageDB provides an example in the evolution of spatio-temporal database applications for the storage, analysis and communication of disease surveillance data. The database was fast and inexpensive to develop by using open-source technologies, simple and efficient design strategies, and shared web hosting. The database increases communication among agencies collaborating to protect human health from raccoon rabies. Furthermore, health agencies have real-time access to a wide assortment of data documenting new developments in the raccoon rabies epidemic and this enables a more timely and appropriate response.Rabies is a worldwide threat to public health, killing more than 55,000 people annually[1]. In North America, the raccoon variant of this virus has resulted in the largest wildlife zoonotic on record [2-4]. Though specifically adapted to raccoons, raccoon rabies can spillover into other mammals, including humans, through contact with infected saliva [5]. If not promptly treated, the rabies virus causes fatal encephalitis in nearly 100% of the human cases. Raccoon rabies was first observed in Florida in the 1940's [5] and then in the 1970's a second outbreak in West
%U http://www.ij-healthgeographics.com/content/10/1/48