Computer Program for Diagnosing and Teaching Geographic Medicine

Abstract

One of the unique aspects of infectious disease is its wide variety, both in time and place. The specialist practicing in India may have little or no expertise in Peruvian disease. A colleague in New York may be called upon to diagnose and treat conditions originating in Africa, Asia, South America, Fiji and Papua, New Guinea. At the same time, this colleague must be familiar with the pathogens that originate in Texas, Hawaii, and Canada. Indeed, even the full-time infectious diseases specialist may not be conversant in diseases such as lagochilascariasis, louping ill, and lobomycosis. War, famine, education, immigration, and business travel have contributed to the advent of specialists in Geographic Medicine and Emporiatrics, otherwise known as Travel medicine. The "art" of diagnosis is largely an ability (albeit subconscious) to rank probabilities based on the incidences of likely diseases and the chance of encountering given clinical features within each disease. In theory, Bayesian analysis could be employed to diagnose disease accurately when given proper input. A multicenter study was undertaken to test a comprehensive computer driven-software program that incorporates worldwide epidemiologic and clinical parameters.