Epidatasets: A Unified Python Library for Global Epidemiological Data Access

Epidatasets is an open-source Python library that provides a unified interface to 23 epidemiological data sources worldwide. Using a plugin-based registry architecture with runtime source discovery, modular dependency management, and a standardized API built on an abstract base class, the library covers global health databases (WHO Global Health Observatory, Our World in Data, Malaria Atlas Project), regional surveillance systems (ECDC, PAHO, Africa CDC, DATASUS/SINAN), pathogen genomic repositories (Pathoplexus), and environmental data (Copernicus CDS). With 29 Jupyter notebook examples, comprehensive ReadTheDocs documentation, a command-line interface, and built-in caching/rate-limiting utilities, Epidatasets lowers the barrier to entry for epidemiological research, facilitates reproducible multi-source analyses, and invites community contributions to expand coverage—especially in underrepresented regions.