Data at the heart of infectious diseases
What is an epidemic?
An epidemic occurs when a disease spreads rapidly through a population. If it affects several continents, it is called a pandemic. The microbes involved (viruses, bacteria, fungi) are known as pathogens.
Why is it complex?
A pathogen is constantly evolving: it mutates, adapts and can sometimes circulate between humans, animals and the environment. Understanding these invisible changes makes it possible to detect epidemics more quickly and slow their spread.
More data for a better understanding
Today, genetic, clinical and environmental analyses produce immense quantities of data on pathogens. These data come from hospitals, laboratories and veterinary services, and need to be linked together to provide a clear picture of health risks.
More than 1,400 pathogens are capable of infecting humans
Source: Taylor et al., Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci., 2001
Around 60 per cent of emerging infectious diseases originate in animals: monitoring these cross-species transmissions is essential
Source: Jones et al., Nature, 2008 / World Health Organisation
During the pandemic, Switzerland was among the top five countries worldwide for sharing genetic sequences of the virus responsible for COVID-19
Source: Neves et al., Microbial Genomics, 2023
In this context, bioinformatics enables us to:
Early detection of the onset of an epidemic or antibiotic resistance
Better understand whether a new microbe is contagious or dangerous
Link human, animal and environmental data
Accelerate the development of tests, treatments and vaccines
Help health authorities make rapid decisions