IICT Hyderabad developed Software tool to curb Dengue and Malaria

A software tool that can control and reduce the outbreak of Mosquito-borne diseases by data mining (Knowledge Discovering) has been developed by scientists of the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) Hyderabad.

This IT tool has been validated by the Central Government and taken up for implementation by health authorities in five States of States Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Assam and Mizoram in the initial phase which will be extended to all other States in a phased manner.

This technology has been developed by Dr. U.S.N. Murthy, Chief Scientist, Biology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) and his team by improvising and customising Self Organising Map (SOM), a cluster technique in data mining.

SOM technology would enable health officials to prioritise control parameters in endemic zones at village level and initiate measures to minimise morbidity and mortality, caused by the onset of vector-borne diseases.

SOM technology can help to alert health authorities to take up larval and adult spraying before the transmission of parasite by the mosquito.

Mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, Japanese encephalitis and dengue are posing a serious public health problem in India and other South-East Asian Countries, with some of them were occurring in an epidemic form on a periodical basis.

The North East of India parts account for about 10.5 per cent of malaria cases and 20 per cent of the deaths.

The technology works on two ways -one relating to the names of the villages and the second focusing on mosquito density, infection, infectivity and parasitic load.

Based on these parameters, a complete mapping of the villages could be done in terms of prioritising control parameters.
 
Another Software for rapid diagnosis of Dengue

• A software tool that can rapidly diagnose dengue fever based on symptoms and clinical parameters has been developed by scientists of the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) Hyderabad.
• The Dengue Decision Support System (DDSS) has been developed by U.S N. Murty, Chief Scientist and Head of Biology Division of IICT.
• DDSS would help health authorities in finding out the disease within 10-15 minutes, which was vital in saving the life of the patient.
• Dengue is transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito infected with any one of the four dengue viruses. It occurs in tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world. It is estimated that Dengue infects approximately 50-100 million people every year across the world.