Implementation of an ontology for syndromic classification of animal health data
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Statens veterinärmedicinska anstalt - Avdelningen för epidemiologi och sjukdomskontroll |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 738 176 |
| Project duration | November 2017 - December 2019 |
| Status | Completed |
Purpose and goal
This project aimed to implement an ontology of health surveillance into the framework of animal disease surveillance at the Swedish National Veterinary Institute (SVA). We were able to achieve this goal, while expanding the health data coverage to include also data from food safety and human diseases acquired through consumption of animal products. International collaboration with biomedical ontologies also focused on foodborne disease outbreak control was strengthened.
Expected results and effects
Thanks to the data annotation workflows created in this project, we will be able to publish the annual “Surveillance of infectious diseases in animals and humans in Sweden” not only as a textual report in PDF, but also as Linked-Open-Data (LOD), from the next report onwards (published yearly in June). This will allow these data to be reusable by humans as well as machines that is, these data will be usable in automated systems for epidemiological intelligence.
Planned approach and implementation
Implementation of a framework for data annotation and LOD production based on an ontology faced a number of challenges. Technically, the tools available are not easily incorporated into the current practices within governmental agencies. But political and normative challenges were even greater. A solution was found by focusing on the data behind an already public report. The workflows implemented can now be gradually incorporated into further practices within the agency.