Algorithm Provides Early Warning of Pathogen Exposure

Overt symptoms of many diseases often do not manifest until days after a person’s initial exposure to the causative pathogen, typically a virus or bacteria. By then, the disease may have progressed to a level at which the benefits of patient treatment are diminished, and the likelihood of pathogen exposure among a wider population is high. Doctors and public health officials would welcome warnings that enable them to begin early mitigation and containment of disease outbreaks.