Understanding temporal and spatial variations of viral disease in the US: The need for a one-health-based data collection and analysis approach

Abstract

Viral diseases exhibit spatial and temporal variation, and there are many factors that can affect their occurrence. The identification of these factors is critical in the efforts to predict and lessen viral disease burden. Because viral infection is able to spread to humans from the environment, animals, and other humans, the One-Health framework can be used to investigate the critical pathways through which viruses are transported and transmitted. A holistic approach, incorporating publicly available clinical data for human, livestock, and wildlife disease occurrence, together with environmental data reported in federal and state databases such as parameters related to land use, environmental quality, and weather, can enhance the understanding of variations in disease patterns, leading to the design and implementation of surveillance systems. An example analysis approach is presented for Michigan, United States, which is a state with large urban centers as well as a sizeable rural and agricultural population. Analysis of publicly available data from 2017 indicates that gastrointestinal (GI) and influenza-associated illnesses in Michigan may have been related with agricultural land use to a higher extent than with developed land use during that year. Meanwhile, hepatitis A virus appears to be most closely related with developed land use in dense population areas. GI illnesses may be related to precipitation, and this relationship is strongest in the springtime, although GI illnesses are most common in the winter months. Integration of human-related clinical data, animal disease data, and environmental data can ultimately be used for prioritization of the most critical locations and times for viral outbreaks in both urban and rural environments.