After the H1N1 swine flu epidemic of 2009, public health officials realized the lack of integration in epidemiological tracking between animal and human disease. As it has recently become more apparent that outbreaks in animal populations can jump to humans, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) affirmed a grant for a new site that will compile running data from top human and animal outbreak sources.
The data will come from around 50,000 sources. The project is still in somewhat early stages as a definitive plan for how the data will be sorted into something useful has not been announced.
A key part of the program is that it is not only meant to be used as a tool for public health officials but it is also going to be accessible to the public. The site will be www.healthmap.org/predict
The project is stictly web-based and the grant does not include any field testing, although if it is successful, the site will promote such monitoring
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/health/08glob.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=outbreak&st=cse
-Katie
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