What is CNES conceptual approach ?

Following the French contribution and presentation during the Johannesburg Summit 2002, a new conceptual approach has been developed: so-called tele-epidemiology.

It aims to monitor and study the spread of human and animal infectious diseases which are closely tied to climate and environmental changes. By combining satellite-originated data on vegetation (SPOT), meteorology (Meteosat, TRMM), oceanography (Topex/Poseidon; ENVISAT, JASON) with hydrology data (distribution of lakes, water levels in rivers, ponds and reservoirs), with clinical data from humans and animals (clinical cases and serum use), predictive mathematical models can be constructed. Lately as a part of the French Ministry of Research’s Earth-Space Network, a pilot sentinel network has been deployed in Niger and Burkina Faso for monitoring infectious diseases such as malaria, which is also tied to changing environmental factors. This integrated and multidisciplinary approach of tele-epidemiology includes:

(1) monitoring and assembling multidisciplinary in-situ datasets to extract and identify physical and biological mechanisms at stake;

(2) remote-sensing monitoring of climate and environment, linking epidemics with ‘confounding factors’ such as rainfall, vegetation, hydrology and population dynamics; and

(3) use of bio-mathematical models for epidemic dynamics, vector aggressiveness and associated risks.

As such, RedGems, an interactive tool contributing to HIS on re-emergent and new infectious diseases was born . It constitutes the main pillar of tele-epidemiology by facilitating real-time monitoring of human and animal health and the exchanges of epidemiological, clinical and entomological data. The primary mission of RedGems is to contribute towards the development of early warning systems (EWS) for infectious diseases and contribute to the main three actions of tele-epidemiology presented above. The overall objective is to attempt predicting and mitigating public health impacts from epidemics, endemics and pandemics.

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