Researchers deploy AI and digital mapping to combat dengue outbreaks

Innovators in Peru and the United States are utilizing artificial intelligence and geospatial mapping to enhance the prevention and tracking of dengue fever.

In Peru, scholarship recipients Josselyn Ataurima Auqui and Omar Roca Cuya developed Sivapre (Integrated Health Surveillance and Prediction System). The platform integrates official surveillance and laboratory systems with a mobile application that allows citizens to upload georeferenced photos of potential mosquito breeding sites. Using machine learning, the system generates interactive heat maps to identify high-risk zones, enabling health authorities to move from reactive to preventive measures.

In the United States, researchers at the University of South Florida, in coordination with the state health department, have implemented a detection program in the Tampa Bay area. This system uses AI algorithms and satellite imagery to scan terrain with a precision of up to ten meters to locate small water deposits, such as discarded containers or tires, that serve as mosquito habitats. This targeted approach aims to destroy breeding sites directly rather than relying solely on mass insecticide spraying. Florida has reported 425 confirmed dengue cases, with over 80% concentrated in Hillsborough County.