Flu Mappers: Students at Byron Martin center use swine flu data to map the disease's spread in Texas

You might think that inter-species diseases are a thing of the movies, but in reality viruses, bacteria, and fungus jump between the species they attack. The recent H1N1 pig flu virus had genes from bird flu, and when it migrated to humans, it acquired human genes.
Vaccines try to prevent inter-species viruses and include immunity against variations of H1N1, H3N2, H1N2. Viral mutations are not fiction, and vaccination and potent anti-virals are some of our weapons.

When the swine flu began spreading in Texas, Penny Carpenter noticed there were no maps of Texas showing which counties had swine flu cases.

No problem. Carpenter, who teaches a course about GIS (Geographic Information Systems) at the Byron Martin Advanced Technology Center, turned it into a teaching opportunity.

Her students began creating color maps on classroom computers showing the Texas counties that had swine flu cases and how many cases have been confirmed.

"They have been learning how to take different data sets and layer them on maps. We have the tools and the resources and the knowledge of how to do it, so we made our own Texas maps," Carpenter said.

The Texas Department of State Health Services updates its Web site every day, so students create a new map every day. By comparing the maps, they can track the spread of the virus every day in Texas.

Coronado High School student Tyler Funk is working on a computer animation of the maps that will show how the virus has spread.

Funk was busy at his computer in Carpenter's class Friday.

"It (the virus) seems to be slowing down," he said, making a comparison between Wednesday and Thursday. The number of confirmed cases had increased by two - from 88 cases to 90 cases - between the two days, and no new counties reported infections.

High school students don't usually seek extra opportunities to come to class, but Funk has become so immersed in the class project that he came to the classroom this week twice on days when he wasn't in class to update his map.

"It is an interesting subject and fun to work with," he said.

Carpenter's GIS course is an innovative one that she created. "I wrote an innovative course application to TEA

(Texas Education Agency), and they approved it," she said.

There are no textbooks. Instead, the students work with industry-standard software, such as ArcGIS, she said.

"It lets us bring in layers of data and visually create maps of that data," Carpenter said.

In 2004, the Department of Labor identified 14 high-growth industries that have a shortage of trained work force, and geospatial technologies is one of them, Carpenter said. Her students could use what they have learned as a leg up to a career.

Funk said he had been thinking about a career in mechanical engineering before he took the GIS class, but said it is now a toss-up between mechanical engineering and a career involving GIS.

"There is so much available to do. It's mind-blowing sometimes," he said.

Monterey High School junior Ameer Haron demonstrates Google Earth, a program with which the students in the GIS have become proficient.

Haron said Google Earth can take you to anywhere in the world, and with a couple of points and clicks, he calls up a satellite view of Mount Everest. Asked if he can find his house, Haron puts it on his computer screen and then points, clicks and takes a look at South Plains Mall.

He then leaves the Earth and goes into space, looking at constellations, stars and galaxies. As he drifts through space, he stopped to take a closer look at Markab, a star in the constellation Pegasus.

"It's a pretty fun class," Haron said.

Carpenter, who has been walking around the classroom and observing her students' progress, walks up to Haron and has him check on the progress of a wildfire burning near Santa Barbara, Calif.

"You never know when you get up in the morning what is coming," she said. "Whatever is current in the news may lend itself to become a teachable subject."

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Biotechnology advances have allowed us to understand viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens better than ever before. We use genetic engineering, DNA sequencing, microarrays, PCR, and other genomic and proteomic tools to understand pathogens better.

We've also developed vaccines and potent antivirals and antibiotics that fight diseases. A proof of this is how much longer life expectancy is Today than it was before the 1940's when antibiotics were invented.

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