Genes and GPS

In a new medical technique, the scientists working a Kathmandu, the rapidly growing capital of Nepal, have combined the geographic and genetic data to trace typhoid fever spreads. The technique uses a combination of DNA sequence, Global Positioning System (GPS) and Google Earth software to get an idea about typhoid fever spread track.
The scientists concluded that the typhoid fever clusters are present near water sources. The data obtained suggested that the main cause of typhoid fever are the environmental factors.
The technique involved the usage of "bacterial strains of Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi A from blood samples of more than 700 typhoid outpatients at a Kathmandu hospital between 2005 and 2009." (Scidev.net) The scientists then approached the patients' houses and tracked the genes using GPS system and uploaded the data on to Google Earth. Most cases of typhoid fever were the persons living near water spouts. Thus, the technique helped the scientists to track a disease spread and then use the data for further studies or disease management.
Future Prospects of this technique involve its usage for the track of many other bacterial diseases.

(Source: Scidev.net)