The Vector Intelligence Hub (VIHub) is a collaborative surveillance platform developed to address the challenge of vector-borne livestock disease monitoring in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Tick-borne diseases such as bovine babesiosis (redwater), anaplasmosis, heartwater (cowdriosis), and theileriosis represent significant threats to livestock health and livelihoods in the region. Effective surveillance requires systematic data collection from the field — where farmers and animal health practitioners first observe disease events.
Data submitted by reporters remains associated with their account. Reporters retain the ability to view their submissions and control data-sharing preferences. Aggregated, de-identified data may be used for research purposes in accordance with approved ethical protocols.
Farm and holding locations are protected by default. Exact coordinates are only visible to authorised researchers and administrators. Public-facing maps and exports use obfuscated or aggregated location data. The platform complies with South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
Submitted cases are reviewed by authorised verifiers and researchers. Cases progress through classification states (suspected, probable, confirmed, or ruled out) based on available evidence. This multi-stage review ensures data quality while capturing early signals.
Data collected through VIHub supports ongoing research into vector-borne disease epidemiology, vector ecology, and livestock health in the Eastern Cape. Research outputs will be published through appropriate academic channels with proper attribution.
For questions about the platform, data use, or collaboration opportunities, please contact the VIHub research team.