Table 2.

Options for presentation of spatial patterns of vector-borne diseases

Method	Advantages	Disadvantages
Disease case point locations	Fine-scale information allowing for precise communication of disease risk. Facilitates development of predictive spatial risk models from knowledge of case point locations (based on kriging interpolation, associations of case locations with environmental factors, etc). Not subject to modifiable areal unit problem.	Privacy issues associated with dissemination of information for disease case locations (can be addressed by random offsets from actual case locations). Address of residence may not be the site of pathogen exposure. May simply reflect population density.
Aggregate of disease cases	Useful for targeting vector control resources to the areas with the highest case loads. Improved likelihood that the probable site of pathogen exposure is included within the boundary unit associated with the address of residence.	Less precise compared with disease case point locations. Subject to modifiable areal unit problem. May simply reflect population density.
Aggregate of disease incidence	Disease risk measure that accounts for population and thus reflects level of personal risk. Improved likelihood that the probable site of pathogen exposure is included within the boundary unit associated with the address of residence.	Less precise compared with disease case point locations. Under-represents total variance. Subject to modifiable areal unit problem. Problematic for boundary units with low population bases.