title: Tracking and visualization of space-time activities for a micro-scale flu transmission study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infectious diseases pose increasing threats to public health with increasing population density and more and more sophisticated social networks. While efforts continue in studying the large scale dissemination of contagious diseases, individual-based activity and behaviour study benefits not only disease transmission modelling but also the control, containment, and prevention decision making at the local scale. The potential for using tracking technologies to capture detailed space-time trajectories and model individual behaviour is increasing rapidly, as technological advances enable the manufacture of small, lightweight, highly sensitive, and affordable receivers and the routine use of location-aware devices has become widespread (e.g., smart cellular phones). The use of low-cost tracking devices in medical research has also been proved effective by more and more studies. This study describes the use of tracking devices to collect data of space-time trajectories and the spatiotemporal processing of such data to facilitate micro-scale flu transmission study. We also reports preliminary findings on activity patterns related to chances of influenza infection in a pilot study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specifically, this study employed A-GPS tracking devices to collect data on a university campus. Spatiotemporal processing was conducted for data cleaning and segmentation. Processed data was validated with traditional activity diaries. The A-GPS data set was then used for visual explorations including density surface visualization and connection analysis to examine space-time activity patterns in relation to chances of influenza infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When compared to diary data, the segmented tracking data demonstrated to be an effective alternative and showed greater accuracies in time as well as the details of routes taken by participants. A comparison of space-time activity patterns between participants who caught seasonal influenza and those who did not revealed interesting patterns.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study proved that tracking technology an effective technique for obtaining data for micro-scale influenza transmission research. The findings revealed micro-scale transmission hotspots on a university campus and provided insights for local control and prevention strategies.
authors: School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kean University, 1000 Morris Ave,, Union, NJ 07083, USA. fqi@kean.edu
authors: Feng
authors: F
authors: Qi
authors: Fei
authors: F
authors: Du
mesh_terms: D040362:Geographic Information Systems / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013037:Spatial Behavior; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
references: Science. 2006 Apr 21;312(5772):447-51
references: 16574822
references: Nature. 2004 Jul 8;430(6996):242-9
references: 15241422
references: Am J Epidemiol. 2007 Dec 1;166(11):1244-51
references: 17938424
references: Proc Biol Sci. 2003 Oct 7;270(1528):1979-89
references: 14561285
references: PLoS One. 2011;6(9):e23027
references: 21931593
references: Science. 2007 Jun 1;316(5829):1298-301
references: 17540894
references: Nat Med. 2004 Dec;10(12 Suppl):S70-6
references: 15577934
references: BMC Geriatr. 2008 Mar 26;8:7
references: 18366748
references: PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2009 Jul 21;3(7):e481
references: 19621090
references: Int J Health Geogr. 2012 Jun 27;11:22
references: 22738807
references: Int J Health Geogr. 2012 Jun 28;11:25
references: 22741760
references: J Theor Biol. 2004 Apr 7;227(3):369-79
references: 15019504
references: Parasitol Today. 2000 Aug;16(8):324-5
references: 10900476
references: Science. 2003 Jun 20;300(5627):1966-70
references: 12766207
references: PLoS One. 2012;7(2):e31338
references: 22363623
references: Soc Sci Med. 1998 Mar;46(6):755-65
references: 9522434
references: J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2005 Sep 02;2:28
references: 16138922
references: Am J Prev Med. 2011 Nov;41(5):508-15
references: 22011423
references: Int J Health Geogr. 2011 Dec 05;10:64
references: 22142322
references: Nature. 2004 May 13;429(6988):180-4
references: 15141212
references: Int J Health Geogr. 2008 May 21;7:22
references: 18495025
references: J Epidemiol Community Health. 2003 Oct;57(10):831-5
references: 14573591
references: Science. 2003 Jun 20;300(5627):1884-5
references: 12766208
references: Am J Prev Med. 2011 Nov;41(5):532-40
references: 22011426
references: PLoS Med. 2006 Sep;3(10):e401
references: 16968115
references: Environ Health Perspect. 2003 Jan;111(1):115-22
references: 12515689
references: Int J Epidemiol. 1977 Sep;6(3):259-67
references: 591173
references: Circulation. 2008 Feb 19;117(7):897-904
references: 18250268
references: Nature. 2000 Aug 17;406(6797):762-7
references: 10963605
references: Nature. 2008 Jun 5;453(7196):779-82
references: 18528393
references: Soc Sci Med. 2009 Nov;69(9):1311-3
references: 19665828
references: Stat Med. 2002 Sep 30;21(18):2703-21
references: 12228886
references: Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1997 Nov;57(5):550-9
references: 9392594
references: Emerg Infect Dis. 1995 Jan-Mar;1(1):7-15
references: 8903148
references: Int J Health Geogr. 2004 Jan 28;3(1):2
references: 14748926
references: Int J Health Geogr. 2004 Jan 28;3(1):1
references: 14748927
references: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Oct 19;101(42):15124-9
references: 15477600
references: Lancet. 2003 May 24;361(9371):1761-6
references: 12781533
references: Am J Prev Med. 2009 Jul;37(1):72-7
references: 19524146
references: J Sci Med Sport. 2009 Sep;12(5):583-5
references: 19036637
references: J Theor Biol. 2005 Jan 7;232(1):71-81
references: 15498594
references: J Vis Exp. 2013 Feb 25;(72):e50130
references: 23462533
references: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2011 Feb 15;36(4):E263-7
references: 20838367
references: PLoS Med. 2007 Jan;4(1):e13
references: 17253899