Abstract
BACKGROUND: Surveillance of infectious diseases increasingly relies on Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The integration of pathogen fine typing data in dynamic systems and visualization of spatio-temporal clusters are a technical challenge for system development. RESULTS: An online geographic information system (EpiScanGIS) based on open source components has been launched in Germany in May 2006 for real time provision of meningococcal typing data in conjunction with demographic information (age, incidence, population density). Spatio-temporal clusters of disease detected by computer assisted cluster analysis (SaTScan) are visualized on maps. EpiScanGIS enables dynamic generation of animated maps. The system is based on open source components; its architecture is open for other infectious agents and geographic regions. EpiScanGIS is available at http://www.episcangis.org, and currently has 80 registered users, mostly from the public health service in Germany. At present more than 2,900 cases of invasive meningococcal disease are stored in the database (data as of June 3, 2008). CONCLUSION: EpiScanGIS exemplifies GIS applications and early-warning systems in laboratory surveillance of infectious diseases.