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Rivas AL, Smith SD, Basiladze V, Chaligava T, Malania L, Burjanadze I, Chichinadze T, Suknidze N, Bolashvili N, Hoogesteijn AL, Gilbertson K, Bertram JH, Fair JM, Webb CT, Imnadze P, Kosoy M. Geo-temporal patterns to design cost-effective interventions for zoonotic diseases -the case of brucellosis in the country of Georgia. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1270505. [PMID: 38179332 PMCID: PMC10765567 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1270505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Control of zoonosis can benefit from geo-referenced procedures. Focusing on brucellosis, here the ability of two methods to distinguish disease dissemination patterns and promote cost-effective interventions was compared. Method Geographical data on bovine, ovine and human brucellosis reported in the country of Georgia between 2014 and 2019 were investigated with (i) the Hot Spot (HS) analysis and (ii) a bio-geographical (BG) alternative. Results More than one fourth of all sites reported cases affecting two or more species. While ruminant cases displayed different patterns over time, most human cases described similar geo-temporal features, which were associated with the route used by migrant shepherds. Other human cases showed heterogeneous patterns. The BG approach identified small areas with a case density twice as high as the HS method. The BG method also identified, in 2018, a 2.6-2.99 higher case density in zoonotic (human and non-human) sites than in non-zoonotic sites (which only reported cases affecting a single species) -a finding that, if corroborated, could support cost-effective policy-making. Discussion Three dissemination hypotheses were supported by the data: (i) human cases induced by sheep-related contacts; (ii) human cases probably mediated by contaminated milk or meat; and (iii) cattle and sheep that infected one another. This proof-of-concept provided a preliminary validation for a method that may support cost-effective interventions oriented to control zoonoses. To expand these findings, additional studies on zoonosis-related decision-making are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel L. Rivas
- Center for Global Health, Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | | | - V. Basiladze
- National Food Agency, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Tengiz Chaligava
- National Food Agency, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Lile Malania
- National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Irma Burjanadze
- National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Tamar Chichinadze
- Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Nikoloz Suknidze
- Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Nana Bolashvili
- Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | | | - Kendra Gilbertson
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Jonathan H. Bertram
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Jeanne Marie Fair
- Genomics and Bioanalytics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Colleen T. Webb
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Paata Imnadze
- National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Georgia
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Hoogesteyn AL, Rivas AL, Smith SD, Fasina FO, Fair JM, Kosoy M. Assessing complexity and dynamics in epidemics: geographical barriers and facilitators of foot-and-mouth disease dissemination. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1149460. [PMID: 37252396 PMCID: PMC10213354 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1149460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Physical and non-physical processes that occur in nature may influence biological processes, such as dissemination of infectious diseases. However, such processes may be hard to detect when they are complex systems. Because complexity is a dynamic and non-linear interaction among numerous elements and structural levels in which specific effects are not necessarily linked to any one specific element, cause-effect connections are rarely or poorly observed. Methods To test this hypothesis, the complex and dynamic properties of geo-biological data were explored with high-resolution epidemiological data collected in the 2001 Uruguayan foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) epizootic that mainly affected cattle. County-level data on cases, farm density, road density, river density, and the ratio of road (or river) length/county perimeter were analyzed with an open-ended procedure that identified geographical clustering in the first 11 epidemic weeks. Two questions were asked: (i) do geo-referenced epidemiologic data display complex properties? and (ii) can such properties facilitate or prevent disease dissemination? Results Emergent patterns were detected when complex data structures were analyzed, which were not observed when variables were assessed individually. Complex properties-including data circularity-were demonstrated. The emergent patterns helped identify 11 counties as 'disseminators' or 'facilitators' (F) and 264 counties as 'barriers' (B) of epidemic spread. In the early epidemic phase, F and B counties differed in terms of road density and FMD case density. Focusing on non-biological, geographical data, a second analysis indicated that complex relationships may identify B-like counties even before epidemics occur. Discussion Geographical barriers and/or promoters of disease dispersal may precede the introduction of emerging pathogens. If corroborated, the analysis of geo-referenced complexity may support anticipatory epidemiological policies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - A. L. Rivas
- Center for Global Health, Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - S. D. Smith
- Geospatial Research Services, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - F. O. Fasina
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- ECTAD Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - J. M. Fair
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - M. Kosoy
- KB One Health LLC, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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Vallée A. Geo-epidemiological approach of the COVID-19 pandemic in France and in Europe for public health policies. J Public Health Policy 2023:10.1057/s41271-023-00402-z. [PMID: 36997623 DOI: 10.1057/s41271-023-00402-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has shown great heterogeneity between countries that merits investigation. There is a need to better highlight the variability in the pandemic trajectories in different geographic areas. By using openly available data from 'GitHub' COVID-19 dataset for Europe and from the official dataset of France for the period 2020 to 2021, I present the three COVID-19 waves in France and Europe in maps. The epidemic trends across areas display different evolutions for different time periods. National and European public health authorities will be able to improve allocation of resources for more effective public health measures based on geo-epidemiological analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Vallée
- Department Epidemiology-Data-Biostatistics, Delegation of Clinical Research and Innovation, Foch Hospital, 92150, Suresnes, France.
- Department of Clinical Research and Innovation, Foch Hospital, 92150, Suresnes, France.
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Heltberg ML, Michelsen C, Martiny ES, Christensen LE, Jensen MH, Halasa T, Petersen TC. Spatial heterogeneity affects predictions from early-curve fitting of pandemic outbreaks: a case study using population data from Denmark. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220018. [PMID: 36117868 PMCID: PMC9470254 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The modelling of pandemics has become a critical aspect in modern society. Even though artificial intelligence can help the forecast, the implementation of ordinary differential equations which estimate the time development in the number of susceptible, (exposed), infected and recovered (SIR/SEIR) individuals is still important in order to understand the stage of the pandemic. These models are based on simplified assumptions which constitute approximations, but to what extent this are erroneous is not understood since many factors can affect the development. In this paper, we introduce an agent-based model including spatial clustering and heterogeneities in connectivity and infection strength. Based on Danish population data, we estimate how this impacts the early prediction of a pandemic and compare this to the long-term development. Our results show that early phase SEIR model predictions overestimate the peak number of infected and the equilibrium level by at least a factor of two. These results are robust to variations of parameters influencing connection distances and independent of the distribution of infection rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias L. Heltberg
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen E 2100, Denmark
- Laboratoire de Physique, Ecole Normale Superieure, Rue Lhomond 15, Paris 07505, France
- Infektionsberedskab, Statens Serum Institute, Artillerivej, Copenhagen S 2300, Denmark
| | - Christian Michelsen
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen E 2100, Denmark
| | - Emil S. Martiny
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen E 2100, Denmark
| | - Lasse Engbo Christensen
- DTU Compute, Section for Dynamical Systems, Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Anker Engelunds Vej 101A, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Mogens H. Jensen
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen E 2100, Denmark
| | - Tariq Halasa
- Animal Welfare and Disease Control, University of Copenhagen, Gronnegårdsvej 8, Frederiksberg C 1870, Denmark
| | - Troels C. Petersen
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen E 2100, Denmark
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Vallée A. Heterogeneity of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States of America: A Geo-Epidemiological Perspective. Front Public Health 2022; 10:818989. [PMID: 35155328 PMCID: PMC8826232 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.818989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has shown great heterogeneity between regions of countries, e. g., in the United States of America (USA). With the growing of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to better highlight the variability in the trajectory of this disease in different worldwide geographic areas. Indeed, the epidemic trends across areas can display completely different evolution at a given time. Geo-epidemiological analyses using data, that are publicly available, could be a major topic to help governments and public administrations to implement health policies. Geo-epidemiological analyses could provide a basis for the implementation of relevant public health policies. With the COVID-19 pandemic, geo-epidemiological analyses can be readily utilized by policy interventions and USA public health authorities to highlight geographic areas of particular concern and enhance the allocation of resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Vallée
- Department of Clinical Research and Innovation, Foch Hospital, Suresnes, France
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Fasina FO, Salami MA, Fasina MM, Otekunrin OA, Hoogesteijn AL, Hittner JB. Test positivity - Evaluation of a new metric to assess epidemic dispersal mediated by non-symptomatic cases. Methods 2021; 195:15-22. [PMID: 34048912 PMCID: PMC8144156 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2021.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidemic control may be hampered when the percentage of asymptomatic cases is high. Seeking remedies for this problem, test positivity was explored between the first 60 to 90 epidemic days in six countries that reported their first COVID-19 case between February and March 2020: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, and Uruguay. Test positivity (TP) is the percentage of test-positive individuals reported on a given day out of all individuals tested the same day. To generate both country-specific and multi-country information, this study was implemented in two stages. First, the epidemiologic data of the country infected last (Uruguay) were analyzed. If at least one TP-related analysis yielded a statistically significant relationship, later assessments would investigate the six countries. The Uruguayan data indicated (i) a positive correlation between daily TP and daily new cases (r = 0.75); (ii) a negative correlation between TP and the number of tests conducted per million inhabitants (TPMI, r = -0.66); and (iii) three temporal stages, which differed from one another in both TP and TPMI medians (p < 0.01) and, together, revealed a negative relationship between TPMI and TP. No significant relationship was found between TP and the number of active or recovered patients. The six countries showed a positive correlation between TP and the number of deaths/million inhabitants (DMI, r = 0.65, p < 0.01). With one exception -a country where isolation was not pursued-, all countries showed a negative correlation between TP and TPMI (r = 0.74). The temporal analysis of country-specific policies revealed four patterns, characterized by: (1) low TPMI and high DMI, (2) high TPMI and low DMI; (3) an intermediate pattern, and (4) high TPMI and high DMI. Findings support the hypothesis that test positivity may guide epidemiologic policy-making, provided that policy-related factors are considered and high-resolution geographical data are utilized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Folorunso O Fasina
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Dar es Salam, Tanzania & Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
| | - Mudasiru A Salami
- College of Medicine, University College Hospital, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | | - Olutosin A Otekunrin
- Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Nigeria
| | - Almira L Hoogesteijn
- Human Ecology, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV), Mérida, Mexico
| | - James B Hittner
- Department of Psychology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA
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Rivas AL, van Regenmortel MHV. COVID-19 related interdisciplinary methods: Preventing errors and detecting research opportunities. Methods 2021; 195:3-14. [PMID: 34029715 PMCID: PMC8545872 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2021.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
More than 130,000 peer-reviewed studies have been published within one year after COVID-19 emerged in many countries. This large and rapidly growing field may overwhelm the synthesizing abilities of both researchers and policy-makers. To provide a sinopsis, prevent errors, and detect cognitive gaps that may require interdisciplinary research methods, the literature on COVID-19 is summarized, twice. The overall purpose of this study is to generate a dialogue meant to explain the genesis of and/or find remedies for omissions and contradictions. The first review starts in Biology and ends in Policy. Policy is chosen as a destination because it is the setting where cognitive integration must occur. The second review follows the opposite path: it begins with stated policies on COVID-19 and then their assumptions and disciplinary relationships are identified. The purpose of this interdisciplinary method on methods is to yield a relational and explanatory view of the field -one strategy likely to be incomplete but usable when large bodies of literature need to be rapidly summarized. These reviews identify nine inter-related problems, research needs, or omissions, namely: (1) nation-wide, geo-referenced, epidemiological data collection systems (open to and monitored by the public); (2) metrics meant to detect non-symptomatic cases -e.g., test positivity-; (3) cost-benefit oriented methods, which should demonstrate they detect silent viral spreaders even with limited testing; (4) new personalized tests that inform on biological functions and disease correlates, such as cell-mediated immunity, co-morbidities, and immuno-suppression; (5) factors that influence vaccine effectiveness; (6) economic predictions that consider the long-term consequences likely to follow epidemics that growth exponentially; (7) the errors induced by self-limiting and/or implausible paradigms, such as binary and reductionist approaches; (8) new governance models that emphasize problem-solving skills, social participation, and the use of scientific knowledge; and (9) new educational programs that utilize visual aids and audience-specific communication strategies. The analysis indicates that, to optimally address these problems, disciplinary and social integration is needed. By asking what is/are the potential cause(s) and consequence(s) of each issue, this methodology generates visualizations that reveal possible relationships as well as omissions and contradictions. While inherently limited in scope and likely to become obsolete, these shortcomings are avoided when this 'method on methods' is frequently practiced. Open-ended, inter-/trans-disciplinary perspectives and broad social participation may help researchers and citizens to construct, de-construct, and re-construct COVID-19 related research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel L Rivas
- Center for Global Health, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States.
| | - Marc H V van Regenmortel
- University of Vienna, Austria; and Higher School of Biotechnology, University of Strasbourg, and French National Research Center, France
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James BH, Folorunso OF, Almira LH, Renata P, Dawid M, Prakasha K, Stephen DS, Ariel LR. Testing-Related and Geo-Demographic Indicators Strongly Predict COVID-19 Deaths in the United States during March of 2020. BIOMEDICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES : BES 2021; 34:734-738. [PMID: 34530964 PMCID: PMC8485419 DOI: 10.3967/bes2021.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- B Hittner James
- Department of Psychology, College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America, 29424
| | - O Fasina Folorunso
- Food and Agriculture Organization, Dar es Salam, Tanzania & Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, South Africa, 0010
| | - L Hoogesteijn Almira
- Human Ecology, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV), Mérida, México, 97133
| | - Piccinini Renata
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy, 20122
| | - Maciorowski Dawid
- Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, 60153
| | - Kempaiah Prakasha
- Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, 60153
| | - D Smith Stephen
- Institute for Resource Information Science, College of Agriculture, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States of America, 14853
| | - L Rivas Ariel
- Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America, 87131
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Rivas AL, Hoogesteijn AL. Biologically grounded scientific methods: The challenges ahead for combating epidemics. Methods 2021; 195:113-119. [PMID: 34492300 PMCID: PMC8423586 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The protracted COVID 19 pandemic may indicate failures of scientific methodologies. Hoping to facilitate the evaluation and/or update of methods relevant in Biomedicine, several aspects of scientific processes are here explored. First, the background is reviewed. In particular, eight topics are analyzed: (i) the history of Higher Education models in reference to the pursuit of science and the type of student cognition pursued, (ii) whether explanatory or actionable knowledge is emphasized depending on the well- or ill-defined nature of problems, (iii) the role of complexity and dynamics, (iv) how differences between Biology and other fields influence methodologies, (v) whether theory, hypotheses or data drive scientific research, (vi) whether Biology is reducible to one or a few factors, (vii) the fact that data, to become actionable knowledge, require structuring, and (viii) the need of inter-/trans-disciplinary knowledge integration. To illustrate how these topics interact, a second section describes four temporal stages of scientific methods: conceptualization, operationalization, validation and evaluation. They refer to the transition from abstract (non-measurable) concepts (such as 'health') to the selection of concrete (measurable) operations (such as 'quantification of ́anti-virus specific antibody titers'). Conceptualization is the process that selects concepts worth investigating, which continues as operationalization when data-producing variables viewed to reflect critical features of the concepts are chosen. Because the operations selected are not necessarily valid, informative, and may fail to solve problems, validations and evaluations are critical stages, which require inter/trans-disciplinary knowledge integration. It is suggested that data structuring can substantially improve scientific methodologies applicable in Biology, provided that other aspects here mentioned are also considered. The creation of independent bodies meant to evaluate biologically oriented scientific methods is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Almira L Hoogesteijn
- Human Ecology, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV), Merida, Mexico.
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Rivas AL, Febles JL, Smith SD, Hoogesteijn AL, Tegos GP, Fasina FO, Hittner JB. Early network properties of the COVID-19 pandemic - The Chinese scenario. Int J Infect Dis 2020; 96:519-523. [PMID: 32470603 PMCID: PMC7250076 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.05.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To control epidemics, sites more affected by mortality should be identified. METHODS Defining epidemic nodes as areas that included both most fatalities per time unit and connections, such as highways, geo-temporal Chinese data on the COVID-19 epidemic were investigated with linear, logarithmic, power, growth, exponential, and logistic regression models. A z-test compared the slopes observed. RESULTS Twenty provinces suspected to act as epidemic nodes were empirically investigated. Five provinces displayed synchronicity, long-distance connections, directionality and assortativity - network properties that helped discriminate epidemic nodes. The rank I node included most fatalities and was activated first. Fewer deaths were reported, later, by rank II and III nodes, while the data from rank I-III nodes exhibited slopes, the data from the remaining provinces did not. The power curve was the best fitting model for all slopes. Because all pairs (rank I vs. rank II, rank I vs. rank III, and rank II vs. rank III) of epidemic nodes differed statistically, rank I-III epidemic nodes were geo-temporally and statistically distinguishable. CONCLUSIONS The geo-temporal progression of epidemics seems to be highly structured. Epidemic network properties can distinguish regions that differ in mortality. This real-time geo-referenced analysis can inform both decision-makers and clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel L Rivas
- Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA
| | - José L Febles
- Department of Human Ecology, CINVESTAV-IPN, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Stephen D Smith
- Institute for Resource Information Science, College of Agriculture, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA
| | | | | | - Folorunso O Fasina
- Food and Agriculture Organization, Dar es Salam, Tanzania & Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
| | - James B Hittner
- Department of Psychology, College of Charleston, Charleston, USA
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Fasina FO, Mtui-Malamsha N, Mahiti GR, Sallu R, OleNeselle M, Rubegwa B, Makonnen YJ, Kafeero F, Ruheta M, Nonga HE, Swai E, Makungu S, Killewo J, Otieno EG, Lupindu AM, Komba E, Mdegela R, Assenga JK, Bernard J, Hussein M, Marandu W, Warioba J, Kaaya E, Masanja P, Francis G, Kessy VM, Savy J, Choyo H, Ochieng J, Hoogesteijn AL, Fasina MM, Rivas AL. Where and when to vaccinate? Interdisciplinary design and evaluation of the 2018 Tanzanian anti-rabies campaign. Int J Infect Dis 2020; 95:352-360. [PMID: 32205283 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Hoping to improve health-related effectiveness, a two-phase vaccination against rabies was designed and executed in northern Tanzania in 2018, which included geo-epidemiological and economic perspectives. METHODS Considering the local bio-geography and attempting to rapidly establish a protective ring around a city at risk, the first phase intervened on sites surrounding that city, where the population density was lower than in the city at risk. The second phase vaccinated a rural area. RESULTS No rabies-related case has been reported in the vaccinated areas for over a year post-immunisation; hence, the campaign is viewed as highly cost-effective. Other metrics included: rapid implementation (concluded in half the time spent on other campaigns) and the estimated cost per protected life, which was 3.28 times lower than in similar vaccinations. CONCLUSIONS The adopted design emphasised local bio-geographical dynamics: it prevented the occurrence of an epidemic in a city with a higher demographic density than its surrounding area and it also achieved greater effectiveness than average interventions. These interdisciplinary, policy-oriented experiences have broad and immediate applications in settings of limited and/or time-sensitive (expertise, personnel, and time available to intervene) resources and conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Folorunso O Fasina
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania.
| | - Niwael Mtui-Malamsha
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Gladys R Mahiti
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, United Republic of Tanzania; One Health Central and Eastern Africa, Eastern Africa, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Raphael Sallu
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Moses OleNeselle
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Bachana Rubegwa
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Yilma J Makonnen
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Fred Kafeero
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Martin Ruheta
- Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Dodoma, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Hezron E Nonga
- Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Dodoma, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Emmanuel Swai
- Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Dodoma, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Selemani Makungu
- Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Dodoma, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Japhet Killewo
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, United Republic of Tanzania; One Health Central and Eastern Africa, Eastern Africa, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Edward G Otieno
- One Health Central and Eastern Africa, Eastern Africa, United Republic of Tanzania; Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Athumani M Lupindu
- One Health Central and Eastern Africa, Eastern Africa, United Republic of Tanzania; Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Erick Komba
- One Health Central and Eastern Africa, Eastern Africa, United Republic of Tanzania; Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Robinson Mdegela
- One Health Central and Eastern Africa, Eastern Africa, United Republic of Tanzania; Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Justine K Assenga
- Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Dodoma, United Republic of Tanzania; One Health Coordination Desk, Prime Minister's Office, Dodoma, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Jubilate Bernard
- One Health Coordination Desk, Prime Minister's Office, Dodoma, United Republic of Tanzania; Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dodoma, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Mohamed Hussein
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, United Republic of Tanzania; One Health Central and Eastern Africa, Eastern Africa, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Walter Marandu
- District Veterinary Office, Moshi District, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - James Warioba
- Zonal Veterinary Center, Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Eliona Kaaya
- Tanzania Veterinary Laboratory Agency, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Pius Masanja
- Tanzania Veterinary Laboratory Agency, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Gundelinda Francis
- Tanzania Veterinary Laboratory Agency, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Violet M Kessy
- Tanzania National Parks Authority, Same, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Janique Savy
- Unit of Geoinformation and Mapping, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Hija Choyo
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Justus Ochieng
- AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center, Eastern and Southern Africa, Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Almira L Hoogesteijn
- Human Ecology, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV), Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Margaret M Fasina
- Department of Nursing Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Ariel L Rivas
- Center for Global Health, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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12
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Rivas AL, Hoogesteijn AL, Antoniades A, Tomazou M, Buranda T, Perkins DJ, Fair JM, Durvasula R, Fasina FO, Tegos GP, van Regenmortel MHV. Assessing the Dynamics and Complexity of Disease Pathogenicity Using 4-Dimensional Immunological Data. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1258. [PMID: 31249569 PMCID: PMC6582751 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Investigating disease pathogenesis and personalized prognostics are major biomedical needs. Because patients sharing the same diagnosis can experience different outcomes, such as survival or death, physicians need new personalized tools, including those that rapidly differentiate several inflammatory phases. To address these topics, a pattern recognition-based method (PRM) that follows an inverse problem approach was designed to assess, in <10 min, eight concepts: synergy, pleiotropy, complexity, dynamics, ambiguity, circularity, personalized outcomes, and explanatory prognostics (pathogenesis). By creating thousands of secondary combinations derived from blood leukocyte data, the PRM measures synergic, pleiotropic, complex and dynamic data interactions, which provide personalized prognostics while some undesirable features-such as false results and the ambiguity associated with data circularity-are prevented. Here, this method is compared to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and evaluated with data collected from hantavirus-infected humans and birds that appeared to be healthy. When human data were examined, the PRM predicted 96.9 % of all surviving patients while PCA did not distinguish outcomes. Demonstrating applications in personalized prognosis, eight PRM data structures sufficed to identify all but one of the survivors. Dynamic data patterns also distinguished survivors from non-survivors, as well as one subset of non-survivors, which exhibited chronic inflammation. When the PRM explored avian data, it differentiated immune profiles consistent with no, early, or late inflammation. Yet, PCA did not recognize patterns in avian data. Findings support the notion that immune responses, while variable, are rather deterministic: a low number of complex and dynamic data combinations may be enough to, rapidly, unmask conditions that are neither directly observable nor reliably forecasted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel L. Rivas
- School of Medicine, Center for Global Health-Division of Infectious Diseases, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- *Correspondence: Ariel L. Rivas
| | - Almira L. Hoogesteijn
- Human Ecology, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV), Mérida, Mexico
| | | | | | - Tione Buranda
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Douglas J. Perkins
- School of Medicine, Center for Global Health-Division of Infectious Diseases, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jeanne M. Fair
- Biosecurity and Public Health, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Folorunso O. Fasina
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | | | - Marc H. V. van Regenmortel
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), School of Biotechnology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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13
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Estrada-Peña A, Villar M, Artigas-Jerónimo S, López V, Alberdi P, Cabezas-Cruz A, de la Fuente J. Use of Graph Theory to Characterize Human and Arthropod Vector Cell Protein Response to Infection With Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:265. [PMID: 30123779 PMCID: PMC6086010 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the major challenges in modern biology is the use of large omics datasets for the characterization of complex processes such as cell response to infection. These challenges are even bigger when analyses need to be performed for comparison of different species including model and non-model organisms. To address these challenges, the graph theory was applied to characterize the tick vector and human cell protein response to infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis. A network of interacting proteins and cell processes clustered in biological pathways, and ranked with indexes representing the topology of the proteome was prepared. The results demonstrated that networks of functionally interacting proteins represented in both infected and uninfected cells can describe the complete set of host cell processes and metabolic pathways, providing a deeper view of the comparative host cell response to pathogen infection. The results demonstrated that changes in the tick proteome were driven by modifications in protein representation in response to A. phagocytophilum infection. Pathogen infection had a higher impact on tick than human proteome. Since most proteins were linked to several cell processes, the changes in protein representation affected simultaneously different biological pathways. The method allowed discerning cell processes that were affected by pathogen infection from those that remained unaffected. The results supported that human neutrophils but not tick cells limit pathogen infection through differential representation of ras-related proteins. This methodological approach could be applied to other host-pathogen models to identify host derived key proteins in response to infection that may be used to develop novel control strategies for arthropod-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Margarita Villar
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), Junta de Comunidades de Castilla - La Mancha (JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Sara Artigas-Jerónimo
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), Junta de Comunidades de Castilla - La Mancha (JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Vladimir López
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), Junta de Comunidades de Castilla - La Mancha (JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Pilar Alberdi
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), Junta de Comunidades de Castilla - La Mancha (JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- UMR Biologie Moléculaire et Immunologie Parasitaires (BIPAR), INRA, Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitairede l'Alimentation, de l'Environnement et du Travail (ANSES), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceské Budějovice, Czechia.,Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceské Budějovice, Czechia
| | - José de la Fuente
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.,Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
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14
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Rorres C, Romano M, Miller JA, Mossey JM, Grubesic TH, Zellner DE, Smith G. Contact tracing for the control of infectious disease epidemics: Chronic Wasting Disease in deer farms. Epidemics 2017; 23:71-75. [PMID: 29329958 DOI: 10.1016/j.epidem.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Revised: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Contact tracing is a crucial component of the control of many infectious diseases, but is an arduous and time consuming process. Procedures that increase the efficiency of contact tracing increase the chance that effective controls can be implemented sooner and thus reduce the magnitude of the epidemic. We illustrate a procedure using Graph Theory in the context of infectious disease epidemics of farmed animals in which the epidemics are driven mainly by the shipment of animals between farms. Specifically, we created a directed graph of the recorded shipments of deer between deer farms in Pennsylvania over a timeframe and asked how the properties of the graph could be exploited to make contact tracing more efficient should Chronic Wasting Disease (a prion disease of deer) be discovered in one of the farms. We show that the presence of a large strongly connected component in the graph has a significant impact on the number of contacts that can arise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Rorres
- Section of Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, PA, 19348, United States.
| | - Maria Romano
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University School of Public Health, Bellet Building, 6th Floor, 1505 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, United States.
| | - Jennifer A Miller
- Department of Geography and the Environment, 1 University Station A3100, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, United States.
| | - Jana M Mossey
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Nesbitt Hall, 3215 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, United States.
| | - Tony H Grubesic
- Center for Spatial Reasoning & Policy Analytics, College of Public Service and Community Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, United States.
| | - David E Zellner
- Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA, 17110, United States.
| | - Gary Smith
- Section of Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, PA, 19348, United States.
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15
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Fasina FO, Mokoele JM, Spencer BT, Van Leengoed LAML, Bevis Y, Booysen I. Spatio-temporal patterns and movement analysis of pigs from smallholder farms and implications for African swine fever spread, Limpopo province, South Africa. Onderstepoort J Vet Res 2015; 82:795. [PMID: 26842362 PMCID: PMC6238709 DOI: 10.4102/ojvr.v82i1.795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2014] [Revised: 08/27/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Infectious and zoonotic disease outbreaks have been linked to increasing volumes of legal and illegal trade. Spatio-temporal and trade network analyses have been used to evaluate the risks associated with these challenges elsewhere, but few details are available for the pig sector in South Africa. Regarding pig diseases, Limpopo province is important as the greater part of the province falls within the African swine fever control area. Emerging small-scale pig farmers in Limpopo perceived pig production as an important means of improving their livelihood and an alternative investment. They engage in trading and marketing their products with a potential risk to animal health, because the preferred markets often facilitate potential longdistance spread and disease dispersal over broad geographic areas. In this study, we explored the interconnectedness of smallholder pig farmers in Limpopo, determined the weaknesses and critical control points, and projected interventions that policy makers can implement to reduce the risks to pig health. The geo-coordinates of surveyed farms were used to draw maps, links and networks. Predictive risks to pigs were determined through the analyses of trade networks, and the relationship to previous outbreaks of African swine fever was postulated. Auction points were identified as high-risk areas for the spread of animal diseases. Veterinary authorities should prioritise focused surveillance and diagnostic efforts in Limpopo. Early disease detection and prompt eradication should be targeted and messages promoting enhanced biosecurity to smallholder farmers are advocated. The system may also benefit from the restructuring of marketing and auction networks. Since geographic factors and networks can rapidly facilitate pig disease dispersal over large areas, a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the complexities that exist around the animal disease epidemiology becomes mandatory.
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16
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Xiao N, Cai S, Moritz M, Garabed R, Pomeroy LW. Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Pastoral Mobility in the Far North Region, Cameroon: Data Analysis and Modeling. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0131697. [PMID: 26151750 PMCID: PMC4495066 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2015] [Accepted: 06/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Modeling the movements of humans and animals is critical to understanding the transmission of infectious diseases in complex social and ecological systems. In this paper, we focus on the movements of pastoralists in the Far North Region of Cameroon, who follow an annual transhumance by moving between rainy and dry season pastures. Describing, summarizing, and modeling the transhumance movements in the region are important steps for understanding the role these movements may play in the transmission of infectious diseases affecting humans and animals. We collected data on this transhumance system for four years using a combination of surveys and GPS mapping. An analysis on the spatial and temporal characteristics of pastoral mobility suggests four transhumance modes, each with its own properties. Modes M1 and M2 represent the type of transhumance movements where pastoralists settle in a campsite for a relatively long period of time (≥20 days) and then move around the area without specific directions within a seasonal grazing area. Modes M3 and M4 on the other hand are the situations when pastoralists stay in a campsite for a relatively short period of time (<20 days) when moving between seasonal grazing areas. These four modes are used to develop a spatial-temporal mobility (STM) model that can be used to estimate the probability of a mobile pastoralist residing at a location at any time. We compare the STM model with two reference models and the experiments suggest that the STM model can effectively capture and predict the space-time dynamics of pastoral mobility in our study area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningchuan Xiao
- Department of Geography, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Shanshan Cai
- Department of Geography, Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark Moritz
- Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
- Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (NIAS), Wassenaar, the Netherlands
| | - Rebecca Garabed
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
| | - Laura W. Pomeroy
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
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17
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Brown M, Moore L, McMahon B, Powell D, LaBute M, Hyman JM, Rivas A, Jankowski M, Berendzen J, Loeppky J, Manore C, Fair J. Constructing rigorous and broad biosurveillance networks for detecting emerging zoonotic outbreaks. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124037. [PMID: 25946164 PMCID: PMC4422680 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2014] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining optimal surveillance networks for an emerging pathogen is difficult since it is not known beforehand what the characteristics of a pathogen will be or where it will emerge. The resources for surveillance of infectious diseases in animals and wildlife are often limited and mathematical modeling can play a supporting role in examining a wide range of scenarios of pathogen spread. We demonstrate how a hierarchy of mathematical and statistical tools can be used in surveillance planning help guide successful surveillance and mitigation policies for a wide range of zoonotic pathogens. The model forecasts can help clarify the complexities of potential scenarios, and optimize biosurveillance programs for rapidly detecting infectious diseases. Using the highly pathogenic zoonotic H5N1 avian influenza 2006-2007 epidemic in Nigeria as an example, we determined the risk for infection for localized areas in an outbreak and designed biosurveillance stations that are effective for different pathogen strains and a range of possible outbreak locations. We created a general multi-scale, multi-host stochastic SEIR epidemiological network model, with both short and long-range movement, to simulate the spread of an infectious disease through Nigerian human, poultry, backyard duck, and wild bird populations. We chose parameter ranges specific to avian influenza (but not to a particular strain) and used a Latin hypercube sample experimental design to investigate epidemic predictions in a thousand simulations. We ranked the risk of local regions by the number of times they became infected in the ensemble of simulations. These spatial statistics were then complied into a potential risk map of infection. Finally, we validated the results with a known outbreak, using spatial analysis of all the simulation runs to show the progression matched closely with the observed location of the farms infected in the 2006-2007 epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mac Brown
- University of California-Santa Barbara, Department of Economics, Santa Barbara, California, 93111, United States of America
| | - Leslie Moore
- Statistical Sciences, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545, United States of America
| | - Benjamin McMahon
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Theoretical Biology and Biophysics, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545, United States of America
| | - Dennis Powell
- Energy and Infrastructure Analysis, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545, United States of America
| | - Montiago LaBute
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Applied Statistics Group—Computational Engineering Division, Mailstop L-174, 7000 East Ave. Livermore, California, 94550, United States of America
| | - James M. Hyman
- Department of Mathematics, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118, United States of America
| | - Ariel Rivas
- Center for Global Health, Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131, United States of America
| | - Mark Jankowski
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Environmental Analysis & Outcomes Division, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55155, United States of America
| | - Joel Berendzen
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Applied Modern Physics, Mailstop D454, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545, United States of America
| | - Jason Loeppky
- University of British Columbia, Okanagan, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, B.C. V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Carrie Manore
- Center for Computational Science, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118, United States of America
| | - Jeanne Fair
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Environmental Stewardship, K404, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545, United States of America
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18
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Little SJ, Kosakovsky Pond SL, Anderson CM, Young JA, Wertheim JO, Mehta SR, May S, Smith DM. Using HIV networks to inform real time prevention interventions. PLoS One 2014; 9:e98443. [PMID: 24901437 PMCID: PMC4047027 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Accepted: 05/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To reconstruct the local HIV-1 transmission network from 1996 to 2011 and use network data to evaluate and guide efforts to interrupt transmission. Design HIV-1 pol sequence data were analyzed to infer the local transmission network. Methods We analyzed HIV-1 pol sequence data to infer a partial local transmission network among 478 recently HIV-1 infected persons and 170 of their sexual and social contacts in San Diego, California. A transmission network score (TNS) was developed to estimate the risk of HIV transmission from a newly diagnosed individual to a new partner and target prevention interventions. Results HIV-1 pol sequences from 339 individuals (52.3%) were highly similar to sequences from at least one other participant (i.e., clustered). A high TNS (top 25%) was significantly correlated with baseline risk behaviors (number of unique sexual partners and insertive unprotected anal intercourse (p = 0.014 and p = 0.0455, respectively) and predicted risk of transmission (p<0.0001). Retrospective analysis of antiretroviral therapy (ART) use, and simulations of ART targeted to individuals with the highest TNS, showed significantly reduced network level HIV transmission (p<0.05). Conclusions Sequence data from an HIV-1 screening program focused on recently infected persons and their social and sexual contacts enabled the characterization of a highly connected transmission network. The network-based risk score (TNS) was highly correlated with transmission risk behaviors and outcomes, and can be used identify and target effective prevention interventions, like ART, to those at a greater risk for HIV-1 transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan J. Little
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Sergei L. Kosakovsky Pond
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Christy M. Anderson
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Jason A. Young
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Joel O. Wertheim
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Sanjay R. Mehta
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Susanne May
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Davey M. Smith
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California, United States of America
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