Google Takes On Bird Flu

The world's largest Internet search company has joined the defenses arranged against bird flu. In combination with Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, Google Earth is helping to locate commercial poultry flocks, as well as the buildings, schools, and roads close to the farms and production facilities. Sherrill Davison, a professor of avian medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, remarked on the technology. "Twenty years ago we had to drive around the countryside and find the chicken farm that reported a disease, but now everything is on a mapping system. Now, we can very quickly, within about an hour, know exactly how many farms are in an (affected) area," she said. This could help contain the virus, or at least give authorities a good idea of how it spreads. Davison has been using GIS technology since 1998 to monitor and control outbreaks of other avian diseases. Originally it was only utilized in Pennsylvania, but other states adopted the system. Del.icio.us") | Yahoo! My Web Technorati: Doug is a staff writer for Murdok for the latest eBusiness news.