New approaches to quantifying the spread of infection

Matthews, L. and Woolhouse, M.E.J. (2005) New approaches to quantifying the spread of infection. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 3(7), pp. 529-536. (doi: 10.1038/nrmicro1178)

Abstract

Recent major disease outbreaks, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome and foot-and-mouth disease in the UK, coupled with fears of emergence of human-to-human transmissible variants of avian influenza, have highlighted the importance of accurate quantification of disease threat when relatively few cases have occurred. Traditional approaches to mathematical modelling of infectious diseases deal most effectively with large outbreaks in large populations. The desire to elucidate the highly variable dynamics of disease spread amongst small numbers of individuals has fuelled the development of models that depend more directly on surveillance and contact-tracing data. This signals a move towards a closer interplay between epidemiological modelling, surveillance and disease-management strategies.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Matthews, Professor Louise
• Authors: Matthews, L., and Woolhouse, M.E.J.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: Nature Reviews Microbiology
• ISSN: 1740-1526
• ISSN (Online): 1740-1534