|
VECMAP |
| An integrated spatial tool and service for modelling the distribution of mosquito vectors of disease |
| Contact |
Herman Eerens |
Start (End) Date |
01/12/2009
(30/11/2012) |
| Consortium |
6 partners |
Project Coordination |
Avia-GIS |
| Website |
http://iap.esa.int/vecmap
(new window) |
Related Projects |
Marsop, GMFS |
| Keywords |
vector-borne diseases |
Project Objectives
The spread of diseases transmissible by vectors (mosquitoes, ticks etc.) depends on factors such as the present distribution, climate, weather and wind patterns, proximity to water bodies, land use and vegetation. Hitchhiking on international trade and travel, foreign species may establish in new environments world-wide if conditions are favourable. Trends such as global warming and land development also contribute to changes in vector distribution. Amongst others, mosquito-borne diseases (Chikungunya, Dengue and West Nile) are an increasing public health concern in many European countries. Pilot projects have demonstrated that it is possible to assess abundances of vector species through modelling of the dependencies between habitat conditions, seasonal trends and in-situ sampling results. The VECMAP project aims at the development of a software tool and associated service for automated mosquito mapping and forecasting, integrating earth observation (EO) and satellite navigation assets with modelling, mapping and in-situ measurement techniques.
Methodology
As outlined in the figure below, the VECMAP service is based on the combination of inputs from field work (in-situ samplings and measurements) and Earth Observation data (vegetation, land surface temperature, moisture, water bodies,...). The in-situ data are entered into a palm-to-web terminal, geo-referenced by GNSS and transferred to a central database using mobile communication technologies. In this manner the field work can be done remotely, effectively and independently. The EO imagery, mainly from high frequency low resolution sensors, is pre-processed to generate habitat indicators such as the vegetation index. The VECMAP software product’s algorithms correlate and cross-calibrate both sets of results and generate spatial and temporal predictions of presence and abundance of selected vectors. Depending on the user needs a variety of graphical representations and interactive researches are made possible via the engine for the GIS-environment.
Results
The VECMAP service focuses on two user groups: the public health authorities supported by research institutes at regional and national level, and the public or private mosquito control companies. Experts and public health authorities, in particular the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), agree on the need to develop early warning systems for vector-borne diseases. There is a clear need for maps to know where mosquitoes have been detected starting from trap data (point presence/absence and abundance maps), where they could be (spatial distribution maps to fill gaps between the recorded presence/absence and/or abundance) and when the population and nuisance will peak. This is essential to optimize current surveillance and control networks and to develop these networks where they do not exist yet, in order to prevent or control mosquito-borne diseases.
VITO Contribution
Provision of ten-daily composites of SPOT-VEGETATION and ENVISAT-MERIS covering the European continent at 1 km resolution, plus a number of derived products (anomalies, databases,...).
Partners
Avia-GIS, Agro-veterinary Information and Analysis bvba (Belgium)
ERGO, Environmental Research Group Oxford Ltd. (United Kingdom)
TALA research group, Zoology (United Kingdom)
MEDES, Institut de Médecine et de Physiologie Spatiales (France)
EARS, Earth Environment Monitoring BV (the Netherlands)
RIVM, Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (the Netherlands)
Illustration
The major VECMAP system components
