Molecular Epidemiological Information System to Support Management of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Thailand: Abstract.

Objective: To support the End TB strategy with an informatics system that integrates genomic data and the geographic information system (GIS) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) clinical isolates. We aim to develop a system prototype for implementing genomic data to support multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) control.

Methods: A 12-step data value chain was applied to describe the information flow within the system. A prototyping-oriented system development method was utilized to test the feasibility of certain technical aspects of a system, and as specification tools to determine user requirements. A simulated dataset was entered as input for initial system testing.

Results: System prototype, namely Integrated MOL Outbreak detection and Joint investigation (iMoji), was established. The data entry modules consisted of (1) patient registration, (2) sample registration, (3) laboratory data entry and data analysis, and (4) verification and approval of the analyzed data. The initial system test demonstrated connectivity among modules without error. The system was able to report integrated genomic data and GIS information of MDR-TB for clustering analysis.

Conclusion: iMoji provides an interactive model for determining molecular epidemiological links of MDR-TB and corresponding spatial information to guide public health interventions for tuberculosis control.