Your mobile phone could  prevent epidemics London – Julie Cordier Your mobile phone could be your best defence against infection. This is what Cambridge University researchers have suggested in a new study, which shows that a potential epidemic is now very easy to avoid thanks to mobile phones. Researchers have analysed social media, online chats, searching trends and real-time reporting to detect any disease outbreaks or emergent infections. Social media allows an early identification of the virus, which in turn can be treated more easily. Viruses like H1N1 (swine flu) can spread very easily to several continents because of modern travel. Internet data have now been recognised as valuable by public health systems such as the World Health Organisation and the Centre for Disease Control. The researchers commented on their research: "Patterns of infectious and chronic disease around the world are constantly shifting, so it is important that we make use of new technologies to get better information about the spread of diseases. These tools will enable us to inform effective prevention and control measures as well as learn about aspects of health that previously could not be uncovered."