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Srivathsan A, Abdou A, Al-Khatib T, Apadinuwe SC, Badiane MD, Bucumi V, Chisenga T, Kabona G, Kabore M, Kanyi SK, Bella L, M’po N, Masika M, Minnih A, Sitoe HM, Mishra S, Olobio N, Omar FJ, Phiri I, Sanha S, Seife F, Sharma S, Tekeraoi R, Traore L, Watitu T, Bol YY, Borlase A, Deiner MS, Renneker KK, Hooper PJ, Emerson PM, Vasconcelos A, Arnold BF, Porco TC, Hollingsworth TD, Lietman TM, Blumberg S. District-Level Forecast of Achieving Trachoma Elimination as a Public Health Problem By 2030: An Ensemble Modelling Approach. Clin Infect Dis 2024; 78:S101-S107. [PMID: 38662700 PMCID: PMC11045026 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciae031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Assessing the feasibility of 2030 as a target date for global elimination of trachoma, and identification of districts that may require enhanced treatment to meet World Health Organization (WHO) elimination criteria by this date are key challenges in operational planning for trachoma programmes. Here we address these challenges by prospectively evaluating forecasting models of trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) prevalence, leveraging ensemble-based approaches. Seven candidate probabilistic models were developed to forecast district-wise TF prevalence in 11 760 districts, trained using district-level data on the population prevalence of TF in children aged 1-9 years from 2004 to 2022. Geographical location, history of mass drug administration treatment, and previously measured prevalence data were included in these models as key predictors. The best-performing models were included in an ensemble, using weights derived from their relative likelihood scores. To incorporate the inherent stochasticity of disease transmission and challenges of population-level surveillance, we forecasted probability distributions for the TF prevalence in each geographic district, rather than predicting a single value. Based on our probabilistic forecasts, 1.46% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.43-1.48%) of all districts in trachoma-endemic countries, equivalent to 172 districts, will exceed the 5% TF control threshold in 2030 with the current interventions. Global elimination of trachoma as a public health problem by 2030 may require enhanced intervention and/or surveillance of high-risk districts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariktha Srivathsan
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Amza Abdou
- Programme National de Santé Oculaire, Ministère De La Santé Publique, Niamey, Niger
| | - Tawfik Al-Khatib
- Prevention of Blindness Program, Ministry of Public Health & Population, Sana'a, Yemen
| | | | - Mouctar D Badiane
- Programme National de Promotion de La Santé Oculaire, Ministère de la Santé et de L'Action sociale, Dakar, Sénégal
| | - Victor Bucumi
- Département En Charge des Maladies Tropicales Négligées, Ministère De La Santé Publique Et De La Lutte Contre Le Sida, Bujumbura, Burundi
| | - Tina Chisenga
- Ministry of Health Public Health Department, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - George Kabona
- Neglected Tropical Disease Control Program, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dar Es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Martin Kabore
- Programme national de lutte contre les maladies tropicales négligées, Ministère de la santé et de l'hygiène publique, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Sarjo Kebba Kanyi
- The National Eye Health Programme, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Banjul, Kanifing, The Gambia
| | - Lucienne Bella
- Programme National De Lutte Contre La Cécité, Ministère De La Santé Publique, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Nekoua M’po
- Programme National De Lutte Contre Les Maladies Transmissibles, Ministère De La Santé, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Michael Masika
- Department of Clinical Services, Ministry of Health, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Abdellahi Minnih
- Département Des Maladies Transmissibles, Ministère De La Santé Nouakchott, Nouakchott, Mauritania
| | - Henis Mior Sitoe
- Direcção Nacional De Saúde Pública Ministerio Da Saude, Maputo, Mozambique
| | | | - Nicholas Olobio
- National Trachoma Elimination Programme, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Nigeria
| | | | - Isaac Phiri
- Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control, Ministry of Health & Child Welfare, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Salimato Sanha
- Programa Nacional De Saúde De Visão, Minsap, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
| | - Fikre Seife
- Federal Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | - Rabebe Tekeraoi
- Eye Department, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, South Tarawa, Kiribati
| | - Lamine Traore
- Programme National de la Santé Oculaire, Ministère de la Santé, Bamako, Mali
| | | | - Yak Yak Bol
- Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme, Ministry of Health, Juba, South Sudan
| | - Anna Borlase
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Michael S Deiner
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kristen K Renneker
- International Trachoma Initiative, The Task Force for Global Health, Decatur, Georgia, USA
| | - P J Hooper
- International Trachoma Initiative, The Task Force for Global Health, Decatur, Georgia, USA
| | - Paul M Emerson
- International Trachoma Initiative, The Task Force for Global Health, Decatur, Georgia, USA
| | - Andreia Vasconcelos
- Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin F Arnold
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Travis C Porco
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - T Déirdre Hollingsworth
- Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas M Lietman
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Seth Blumberg
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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2
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Barazanji M, Ngo JD, Powe JA, Schneider KP, Rychtář J, Taylor D. Modeling the "F" in "SAFE": The dynamic game of facial cleanliness in trachoma prevention. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287464. [PMID: 37352249 PMCID: PMC10289400 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Trachoma, a neglected tropical disease (NTDs) caused by bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, is a leading cause of infectious blindness. Efforts are underway to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem by using the "SAFE" strategy. While mathematical models are now standard tools used to support elimination efforts and there are a variety of models studying different aspects of trachoma transmission dynamics, the "F" component of the strategy corresponding to facial cleanliness has received very little attention so far. In this paper, we incorporate human behavior into a standard epidemiological model and develop a dynamical game during which individuals practice facial cleanliness based on their epidemiological status and perceived benefits and costs. We found that the number of infectious individuals generally increases with the difficulty to access a water source. However, this increase happens only during three transition periods and the prevalence stays constant otherwise. Consequently, improving access to water can help eliminate trachoma, but the improvement needs to be significant enough to cross at least one of the three transition thresholds; otherwise the improved access will have no noticeable effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Barazanji
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States of America
| | - Janesah D. Ngo
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States of America
| | - Jule A. Powe
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States of America
| | - Kimberley P. Schneider
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States of America
| | - Jan Rychtář
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States of America
| | - Dewey Taylor
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States of America
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3
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Senyonjo L, Addy J, Martin DL, Agyemang D, Yeboah-Manu D, Gwyn S, Marfo B, Asante-Poku A, Aboe A, Mensah E, Solomon AW, Bailey RL. Surveillance for peri-elimination trachoma recrudescence: Exploratory studies in Ghana. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009744. [PMID: 34543293 PMCID: PMC8519445 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction To date, eleven countries have been validated as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, including Ghana in 2018. Surveillance for recrudescence is needed both pre- and post-validation but evidence-based guidance on appropriate strategies is lacking. We explored two potential surveillance strategies in Ghana. Methodology/principal findings Amongst randomly-selected communities enrolled in pre-validation on-going surveillance between 2011 and 2015, eight were identified as having had trachomatous-inflammation follicular (TF) prevalence ≥5% in children aged 1–9 years between 2012 and 2014. These eight were re-visited in 2015 and 2016 and neighbouring communities were also added (“TF trigger” investigations). Resident children aged 1–9 years were then examined for trachoma and had a conjunctival swab to test for Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) and a dried blood spot (DBS) taken to test for anti-Pgp3 antibodies. These investigations identified at least one community with evidence of probable recent Ct ocular transmission. However, the approach likely lacks sufficient spatio-temporal power to be reliable. A post-validation surveillance strategy was also evaluated, this reviewed the ocular Ct infection and anti-Pgp3 seroprevalence data from the TF trigger investigations and from the pre-validation surveillance surveys in 2015 and 2016. Three communities identified as having ocular Ct infection >0% and anti-Pgp3 seroprevalence ≥15.0% were identified, and along with three linked communities, were followed-up as part of the surveillance strategy. An additional three communities with a seroprevalence ≥25.0% but no Ct infection were also followed up (“antibody and infection trigger” investigations). DBS were taken from all residents aged ≥1 year and ocular swabs from all children aged 1–9 years. There was evidence of transmission in the group of communities visited in one district (Zabzugu-Tatale). There was no or little evidence of continued transmission in other districts, suggesting previous infection identified was transient or potentially not true ocular Ct infection. Conclusions/significance There is evidence of heterogeneity in Ct transmission dynamics in northern Ghana, even 10 years after wide-scale MDA has stopped. There is added value in monitoring Ct infection and anti-Ct antibodies, using these indicators to interrogate past or present surveillance strategies. This can result in a deeper understanding of transmission dynamics and inform new post-validation surveillance strategies. Opportunities should be explored for integrating PCR and serological-based markers into surveys conducted in trachoma elimination settings. The goal for trachoma programmes is elimination of trachoma as a public health problem. This means that ongoing low-level eye-to-eye transmission of the causative bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct), is acceptable. Countries need to implement a suitable surveillance system to identify any return to higher transmission levels. The best methodology for doing this is not known. We first explored the approach used by Ghana in its standard programme, which involved monitoring a limited number of randomly selected communities for evidence of active (inflammatory) trachoma visible in children’s eyes on examination by trained observers. Although this strategy led to identification of at least one community that had probably had recent Ct transmission, the approach is unlikely to consistently identify places where return to higher levels of transmission is a risk. We also explored using information on infection (detected in eye swabs) and antibodies to Ct (detected in the blood) to identify communities at risk. We found evidence of both persistent eye-to-eye Ct transmission and areas where infection was transient and has now gone away. We conclude that the use of infection and antibody data for surveillance of trachoma appears promising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Senyonjo
- Research Team, Sightsavers, Haywards Heath, United Kingdom
- Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - James Addy
- Eye Health Department, Ghana Health Service, Accra, Ghana
| | - Diana L. Martin
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, United States of America
| | | | - Dorothy Yeboah-Manu
- Bacteriology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Accra, Ghana
| | - Sarah Gwyn
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, United States of America
| | - Benjamin Marfo
- Neglected Tropical Diseases Division, Ghana Health Service, Accra, Ghana
| | - Adwoa Asante-Poku
- Bacteriology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Accra, Ghana
| | | | | | - Anthony W. Solomon
- Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robin L. Bailey
- Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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4
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Rivas L, Campos F. Zero inflated Waring distribution. COMMUN STAT-SIMUL C 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/03610918.2021.1944638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Rivas
- Departamento de Estadística, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Francisca Campos
- Departamento de Estadística, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
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5
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Blumberg S, Prada JM, Tedijanto C, Deiner MS, Godwin WW, Emerson PM, Hooper PJ, Borlase A, Hollingsworth TD, Oldenburg CE, Porco TC, Arnold BF, Lietman TM. Forecasting Trachoma Control and Identifying Transmission-Hotspots. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 72:S134-S139. [PMID: 33905484 PMCID: PMC8201580 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tremendous progress towards elimination of trachoma as a public health problem has been made. However, there are areas where the clinical indicator of disease, trachomatous inflammation—follicular (TF), remains prevalent. We quantify the progress that has been made, and forecast how TF prevalence will evolve with current interventions. We also determine the probability that a district is a transmission-hotspot based on its TF prevalence (ie, reproduction number greater than one). Methods Data on trachoma prevalence come from the GET2020 global repository organized by the World Health Organization and the International Trachoma Initiative. Forecasts of TF prevalence and the percent of districts with local control is achieved by regressing the coefficients of a fitted exponential distribution for the year-by-year distribution of TF prevalence. The probability of a district being a transmission-hotspot is extrapolated from the residuals of the regression. Results Forecasts suggest that with current interventions, 96.5% of surveyed districts will have TF prevalence among children aged 1–9 years <5% by 2030 (95% CI: 86.6%–100.0%). Districts with TF prevalence < 20% appear unlikely to be transmission-hotspots. However, a district having TF prevalence of over 28% in 2016–2019 corresponds to at least 50% probability of being a transmission-hotspot. Conclusions Sustainable control of trachoma appears achievable. However there are transmission-hotspots that are not responding to annual mass drug administration of azithromycin and require enhanced treatment in order to reach local control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth Blumberg
- Francis I Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joaquin M Prada
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Christine Tedijanto
- Francis I Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michael S Deiner
- Francis I Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William W Godwin
- Francis I Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Paul M Emerson
- International Trachoma Initiative, The Task Force for Global Health, Decatur, Georgia, USA
| | - Pamela J Hooper
- International Trachoma Initiative, The Task Force for Global Health, Decatur, Georgia, USA
| | - Anna Borlase
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - T Deirdre Hollingsworth
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Catherine E Oldenburg
- Francis I Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Travis C Porco
- Francis I Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin F Arnold
- Francis I Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Thomas M Lietman
- Francis I Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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6
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Kelly JD, Rebollo Polo M, Marie Zoure HG, Oldenburg CE, Keenan JD, Porco TC, Lietman TM. Assessing Onchocerciasis Subcriticality from Pre-Intervention Cross-Sectional Surveys. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 103:287-294. [PMID: 32458796 PMCID: PMC7356432 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Elimination of an infectious disease requires subcritical transmission, or a reproductive number less than one, and can be assessed with cross-sectional surveys conducted by neglected tropical disease programs. Here, we assess the distribution of onchocerciasis prevalence taken from surveys across sub-Saharan Africa before the initiation of ivermectin in mass drug administrations. Pre-intervention nodular palpation cross-sectional surveys were available from 15 countries in the Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN) database. We determined whether the distribution of the prevalence over communities in an area was consistent with a geometric distribution, which previous studies have suggested indicates a subcritical disease. If not, we fitted a negative binominal distribution (hypothetically supercritical) or a mixture of two distributions: geometric (hypothetically subcritical) and Poisson (hypothetically supercritical). The overall distribution of community-level onchocerciasis prevalence estimates from the ESPEN dataset from 2005 to 2014 was not consistent with a geometric distribution. By contrast, data from several countries and parts of countries were consistent with the geometric distribution, for example, some areas within Nigeria and Angola. Even if the geometric distribution suggested pre-intervention subcriticality in more localized geographical areas, our model using pooled survey data of all geographic areas suggests that the entire pre-intervention prevalence does not fit a geometric distribution. Further work will be required to confirm the significance of a geometric distribution for onchocerciasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Daniel Kelly
- Institute for Global Health Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, California.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UCSF, San Francisco, California.,Francis I. Proctor Foundation, UCSF, San Francisco, California
| | - Maria Rebollo Polo
- Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Honorat Gustave Marie Zoure
- Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Catherine E Oldenburg
- Department of Ophthalmology, UCSF, San Francisco, California.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UCSF, San Francisco, California.,Francis I. Proctor Foundation, UCSF, San Francisco, California
| | - Jeremy D Keenan
- Department of Ophthalmology, UCSF, San Francisco, California.,Francis I. Proctor Foundation, UCSF, San Francisco, California
| | - Travis C Porco
- Department of Ophthalmology, UCSF, San Francisco, California.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UCSF, San Francisco, California.,Francis I. Proctor Foundation, UCSF, San Francisco, California
| | - Thomas M Lietman
- Department of Ophthalmology, UCSF, San Francisco, California.,Francis I. Proctor Foundation, UCSF, San Francisco, California.,Institute for Global Health Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, California.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UCSF, San Francisco, California
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7
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Altherr FM, Nute AW, Zerihun M, Sata E, Stewart AEP, Gessese D, Melak B, Astale T, Ayenew G, Callahan EK, Chanyalew M, Gashaw B, Waller LA, Tadesse Z, Nash SD. Associations between Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and trachoma clustering at aggregate spatial scales, Amhara, Ethiopia. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:540. [PMID: 31727155 PMCID: PMC6857222 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3790-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness globally. The WHO has recommended the SAFE (Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvements) strategy to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem. The F and E arms of the strategy will likely be important for sustained disease reductions, yet more evidence is needed detailing relationships between hygiene, sanitation and trachoma in areas with differing endemicity. This study addressed whether the regional differences in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) variables were associated with the spatial distribution of trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) among children aged 1 to 9 years in the Amhara National Regional State of Ethiopia. Methods Data from 152 multi-stage cluster random trachoma surveys were used to understand the degree of clustering of trachoma on two spatial scales (district and village) in Amhara using a geographical information system and the Getis-Ord Gi* (d) statistic for local clustering. Trained and certified graders examined children for the clinical signs of trachoma using the WHO simplified system. Socio-demographic, community, and geoclimatic factors thought to promote the clustering of the disease were included as covariates in a logistic regression model. Results The mean district prevalence of TF among children aged 1 to 9 years in Amhara was 25.1% (standard deviation = 16.2%). The spatial distribution of TF was found to exhibit global spatial dependency with neighboring evaluation units at both district and village level. Specific clusters of high TF were identified at both the district and the village scale of analysis using weighted estimates of the prevalence of the disease. Increased prevalence of children without nasal and ocular discharge as well as increased prevalence of households with access to a water source within 30 minutes were statistically significantly negatively associated with clusters of high TF prevalence. Conclusions Water access and facial cleanliness were important factors in the clustering of trachoma within this hyperendemic region. Intensified promotion of structural and behavioral interventions to increase WASH coverage may be necessary to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem in Amhara and perhaps other hyper-endemic settings.
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8
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Lietman TM, Pinsent A, Liu F, Deiner M, Hollingsworth TD, Porco TC. Models of Trachoma Transmission and Their Policy Implications: From Control to Elimination. Clin Infect Dis 2019; 66:S275-S280. [PMID: 29860288 PMCID: PMC5982784 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciy004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite great progress in eliminating trachoma from the majority of worldwide districts, trachoma control seems to have stalled in some endemic districts. Can mathematical models help suggest the way forward? We review specific achievements of models in trachoma control in the past. Models showed that, even with incomplete coverage, mass drug administration could eliminate disease through a spillover effect, somewhat analogous to how incomplete vaccine campaigns can eliminate disease through herd protection. Models also suggest that elimination can always be achieved if enough people are treated often enough with an effective enough drug. Other models supported the idea that targeting ages at highest risk or continued improvements in hygiene and sanitation can contribute meaningfully to trachoma control. Models of intensive targeting of a core group may point the way to final eradication even in areas with substantial transmission and within-community heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M Lietman
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, San Francisco.,Department of Ophthalmology, San Francisco.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Francisco.,Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Amy Pinsent
- School of Public Health and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Michael Deiner
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, San Francisco.,Department of Ophthalmology, San Francisco
| | - T Deirdre Hollingsworth
- Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Travis C Porco
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, San Francisco.,Department of Ophthalmology, San Francisco.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Francisco
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9
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Hiep NX, Ngondi JM, Anh VT, Dat TM, An TV, Dung NC, Thang ND, Chu BK, Willis R, Bakhtiari A, Pavluck AL, Johnson J, Sidwell J, Brady M, Henry R, Mosher A, Porco TC, Lietman TM, Rotondo LA, Lewallen S, Courtright P, Solomon AW. Trachoma in Viet Nam: results of 11 surveillance surveys conducted with the Global Trachoma Mapping Project. Ophthalmic Epidemiol 2019; 25:93-102. [PMID: 30806534 PMCID: PMC6444206 DOI: 10.1080/09286586.2018.1477964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: Following interventions against trachoma in Viet Nam, impact surveys conducted in 2003–2011 suggested that trachoma was no longer a public health problem. In 2014, we undertook surveillance surveys to estimate prevalence of trachomatous inflammation—follicular (TF) and trichiasis. Methods: A population-based prevalence survey was undertaken in 11 evaluation units (EUs) encompassing 24 districts, using Global Trachoma Mapping Project methods. A two-stage cluster sampling design was used in each EU, whereby 20 clusters and 60 children per cluster were sampled. Consenting eligible participants (children aged 1–9 years and adults aged ≥50 years) were examined for trachoma. Results: A total of 9391 households were surveyed, and 20,185 participants (98.8% of those enumerated) were examined for trachoma. EU-level TF prevalence in 1–9-year-olds ranged from 0% to 1.6%. In one cluster (in Hà Giang Province), the percentage of children with TF was 10.3%. The overall pattern of cluster-level percentages of children with TF, however, was consistent with an exponential distribution, which would be consistent with trachoma disappearing. Among people aged ≥50 years, prevalence of trichiasis by EU ranged from 0% to 0.75%; these estimates are equivalent to 0–0.13% in all ages. The prevalence of trichiasis unknown to the health system among people aged ≥50 years, by EU, ranged from 0% to 0.17%, which is equivalent to 0–0.03% in all ages. Conclusion: Findings suggest that trachoma is no longer a public health problem in any of the 11 EUs surveyed. However, given the high proportion of children with TF in one cluster in Hà Giang Province, further investigations will be undertaken.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen Xuan Hiep
- a Viet Nam Institute of Ophthalmology, Ministry of Health , Hanoi , Viet Nam
| | | | - Vu Tuan Anh
- a Viet Nam Institute of Ophthalmology, Ministry of Health , Hanoi , Viet Nam
| | - Tran Minh Dat
- a Viet Nam Institute of Ophthalmology, Ministry of Health , Hanoi , Viet Nam
| | - Tran Van An
- a Viet Nam Institute of Ophthalmology, Ministry of Health , Hanoi , Viet Nam
| | - Nguyen Chi Dung
- a Viet Nam Institute of Ophthalmology, Ministry of Health , Hanoi , Viet Nam
| | - Nguyen Duy Thang
- a Viet Nam Institute of Ophthalmology, Ministry of Health , Hanoi , Viet Nam
| | - Brian K Chu
- c Task Force for Global Health , Decatur , GA , USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Rob Henry
- f United States Agency for International Development , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Aryc Mosher
- f United States Agency for International Development , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Travis C Porco
- g F.I. Proctor Foundation , San Francisco , CA , USA.,h Department of Ophthalmology , San Francisco , CA , USA.,i Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics , University of California , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Thomas M Lietman
- g F.I. Proctor Foundation , San Francisco , CA , USA.,h Department of Ophthalmology , San Francisco , CA , USA.,i Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics , University of California , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | | | - Susan Lewallen
- j Kilimanjaro Center for Community Ophthalmology, Division of Ophthalmology , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa
| | - Paul Courtright
- j Kilimanjaro Center for Community Ophthalmology, Division of Ophthalmology , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa
| | - Anthony W Solomon
- k Clinical Research Department , London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine , London , UK.,l London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research , London , UK
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Lietman TM, Worden L, Liu F, Porco TC. The distribution of district-level leprosy incidence in India is geometric-stable, consistent with subcriticality. Epidemics 2018; 24:21-25. [PMID: 29567064 DOI: 10.1016/j.epidem.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Mathematical models predict that the community-level incidence of a controlled infectious disease across a region approaches a geometric distribution. This could hold over larger regions, if new cases remain proportional to existing cases. Leprosy has been disappearing for centuries, making an excellent candidate for testing this hypothesis. Here, we show the annual new case detection rate of leprosy in Indian districts to be consistent with a geometric distribution. For 2008-2013, goodness-of-fit testing was unable to exclude the geometric, and the shape parameter of the best fit negative binomial distribution was close to unity (0.95, 95% CI 0.87-1.03). Ramifications include that a district-level cross-sectional survey may reveal whether an infectious disease is headed towards elimination, that apparent outliers are expected and not necessarily representative of program failure, and that proportion 1/e of a small geographical unit may not meet a control threshold even when a larger area has.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M Lietman
- F.I. Proctor Foundation, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, USA; Global Health Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Travis C Porco
- F.I. Proctor Foundation, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, USA.
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11
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Hamiltonian Analysis of Subcritical Stochastic Epidemic Dynamics. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2017; 2017:4253167. [PMID: 28932256 PMCID: PMC5592420 DOI: 10.1155/2017/4253167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
We extend a technique of approximation of the long-term behavior of a supercritical stochastic epidemic model, using the WKB approximation and a Hamiltonian phase space, to the subcritical case. The limiting behavior of the model and approximation are qualitatively different in the subcritical case, requiring a novel analysis of the limiting behavior of the Hamiltonian system away from its deterministic subsystem. This yields a novel, general technique of approximation of the quasistationary distribution of stochastic epidemic and birth-death models and may lead to techniques for analysis of these models beyond the quasistationary distribution. For a classic SIS model, the approximation found for the quasistationary distribution is very similar to published approximations but not identical. For a birth-death process without depletion of susceptibles, the approximation is exact. Dynamics on the phase plane similar to those predicted by the Hamiltonian analysis are demonstrated in cross-sectional data from trachoma treatment trials in Ethiopia, in which declining prevalences are consistent with subcritical epidemic dynamics.
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12
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Pinsent A, Gambhir M. Improving our forecasts for trachoma elimination: What else do we need to know? PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005378. [PMID: 28182664 PMCID: PMC5321453 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2016] [Revised: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization (WHO) has targeted trachoma for elimination as a public health concern by 2020. Mathematical modelling is used for a range of infectious diseases to assess the impact of different intervention strategies on the prevalence of infection or disease. Here we evaluate the performance of four different mechanistic mathematical models that could all realistically represent trachoma transmission. We fit the four different mechanistic models of trachoma transmission to cross-sectional age-specific Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Trachomatous inflammation, follicular (TF) prevalence data. We estimate 4 or 3 parameters within each model, including the duration of an individual's infection and disease episode using Markov Chain Monte Carlo. We assess the performance of each models fit to the data by calculating the deviance information criterion. We then model the implementation of different interventions for each model structure to assess the feasibility of elimination of trachoma with different model structures. A model structure which allowed some re-infection in the disease state (Model 2) was statistically the most well performing model. All models struggled to fit to the very high prevalence of active disease in the youngest age group. Our simulations suggested that for Model 3, with annual antibiotic treatment and transmission reduction, the chance of reducing active disease prevalence to < 5% within 5 years was very low, while Model 2 and 4 could ensure that active disease prevalence was reduced within 5 years. Model 2 here fitted to the data best of the models evaluated. The appropriate level of susceptibility to re-infection was, however, challenging to identify given the amount and kind of data available. We demonstrate that the model structure assumed can lead to different end points following the implementation of the same interventions. Our findings are likely to extend beyond trachoma and should be considered when modelling other neglected tropical diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Pinsent
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Manoj Gambhir
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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13
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Pinsent A, Blake IM, Basáñez MG, Gambhir M. Mathematical Modelling of Trachoma Transmission, Control and Elimination. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2016; 94:1-48. [PMID: 27756453 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2016.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The World Health Organization has targeted the elimination of blinding trachoma by the year 2020. To this end, the Global Elimination of Blinding Trachoma (GET, 2020) alliance relies on a four-pronged approach, known as the SAFE strategy (S for trichiasis surgery; A for antibiotic treatment; F for facial cleanliness and E for environmental improvement). Well-constructed and parameterized mathematical models provide useful tools that can be used in policy making and forecasting in order to help to control trachoma and understand the feasibility of this large-scale elimination effort. As we approach this goal, the need to understand the transmission dynamics of infection within areas of different endemicities, to optimize available resources and to identify which strategies are the most cost-effective becomes more pressing. In this study, we conducted a review of the modelling literature for trachoma and identified 23 articles that included a mechanistic or statistical model of the transmission, dynamics and/or control of (ocular) Chlamydia trachomatis. Insights into the dynamics of trachoma transmission have been generated through both deterministic and stochastic models. A large body of the modelling work conducted to date has shown that, to varying degrees of effectiveness, antibiotic administration can reduce or interrupt trachoma transmission. However, very little analysis has been conducted to consider the effect of nonpharmaceutical interventions (and particularly the F and E components of the SAFE strategy) in helping to reduce transmission. Furthermore, very few of the models identified in the literature review included a structure that permitted tracking of the prevalence of active disease (in the absence of active infection) and the subsequent progression to disease sequelae (the morbidity associated with trachoma and ultimately the target of GET 2020 goals). This represents a critical gap in the current trachoma modelling literature, which makes it difficult to reliably link infection and disease. In addition, it hinders the application of modelling to assist the public health community in understanding whether trachoma programmes are on track to reach the GET goals by 2020. Another gap identified in this review was that of the 23 articles examined, only one considered the cost-effectiveness of the interventions implemented. We conclude that although good progress has been made towards the development of modelling frameworks for trachoma transmission, key components of disease sequelae representation and economic evaluation of interventions are currently missing from the available literature. We recommend that rapid advances in these areas should be urgently made to ensure that mathematical models for trachoma transmission can robustly guide elimination efforts and quantify progress towards GET 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Pinsent
- Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - I M Blake
- Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - M G Basáñez
- Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - M Gambhir
- Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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14
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Pinsent A, Burton MJ, Gambhir M. Enhanced antibiotic distribution strategies and the potential impact of facial cleanliness and environmental improvements for the sustained control of trachoma: a modelling study. BMC Med 2016; 14:71. [PMID: 27194136 PMCID: PMC4872360 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-016-0614-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 04/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite some success in controlling trachoma with repeated mass drug administration (MDA), some hyperendemic regions are not responding as fast as anticipated. Available data suggests that individuals with higher bacterial infection loads are less likely to resolve infection following a single dose of treatment, and thus remain a source of re-emergent infection following treatment. We assessed the potential impact of a new double-dose antibiotic distribution strategy in addition to enhanced facial cleanliness (F) and environmental improvements (E). METHODS Using a within-community mathematical model of trachoma transmission we assessed the impact of a new double-dose antibiotic distribution strategy given 2 weeks apart, with and without enhanced F&E. We compared the annual double-dose strategy to single-dose annual MDA treatment in hyper-, meso- and hypoendemic settings, and to biannual MDA at 6-monthly intervals in hyperendemic communities. RESULTS The findings from our mathematical model suggest that implementing the new double-dose strategy for 5 years or less was predicted to control infection more successfully than annual or 6-monthly treatment. Infection was controlled more readily if treatment was combined with enhanced F&E. The results appeared robust to variation in a number of key epidemiological parameters. To have long-term impact on transmission, enhanced F&E is essential for high transmission settings. CONCLUSION Our current findings are based on simualtion modelling only, due to lack of epidemilogical data, however they do suggest that the annual double-dose treatment strategy is encouraging for trachoma control. In high transmission settings, both MDA and enhanced F&E are needed for sustained control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Pinsent
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Matthew J Burton
- International Centre for Eye Health, Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Manoj Gambhir
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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15
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Liu F, Porco TC, Amza A, Kadri B, Nassirou B, West SK, Bailey RL, Keenan JD, Lietman TM. Short-term forecasting of the prevalence of clinical trachoma: utility of including delayed recovery and tests for infection. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:535. [PMID: 26489933 PMCID: PMC4618840 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1115-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The World Health Organization aims to control blinding trachoma by 2020. Decisions on whether to start and stop mass treatments and when to declare that control has been achieved are currently based on clinical examination data generated in population-based surveys. Thresholds are based on the district-level prevalence of trachomatous inflammation–follicular (TF) in children aged 1–9 years. Forecasts of which districts may and may not meet TF control goals by the 2020 target date could affect resource allocation in the next few years. Methods We constructed a hidden Markov model fit to the prevalence of two clinical signs of trachoma and PCR data in 24 communities from the recent PRET-Niger trial. The prevalence of TF in children in each community at 36 months was forecast given data from earlier time points. Forecasts were scored by the likelihood of the observed results. We assessed whether use of TF with additional TI and PCR data rather than just the use of TF alone improves forecasts, and separately whether incorporating a delay in TF recovery is beneficial. Results Including TI and PCR data did not significantly improve forecasts of TF. Forecasts of TF prevalence at 36 months by the model with the delay in TF recovery were significantly better than forecasts by the model without the delay in TF recovery (p = 0.003). A zero-inflated truncated normal observation model was better than a truncated normal observation model, and better than a sensitivity-specificity observation model. Conclusion The results in this study suggest that future studies could consider using just TF data for forecasting, and should include a delay in TF recovery. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00792922 Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-015-1115-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengchen Liu
- F.I. Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, 513 Parnassus, Medical Sciences 309A, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0944, USA.
| | - Travis C Porco
- F.I. Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, 513 Parnassus, Medical Sciences 309A, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0944, USA. .,Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. .,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Abdou Amza
- Programme FSS/Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, Programme National de Santé Oculaire, Niamey, Niger.
| | - Boubacar Kadri
- Programme FSS/Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, Programme National de Santé Oculaire, Niamey, Niger.
| | - Baido Nassirou
- Programme FSS/Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, Programme National de Santé Oculaire, Niamey, Niger.
| | - Sheila K West
- Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Robin L Bailey
- Clinical Research Unit, Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
| | - Jeremy D Keenan
- F.I. Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, 513 Parnassus, Medical Sciences 309A, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0944, USA. .,Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Thomas M Lietman
- F.I. Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, 513 Parnassus, Medical Sciences 309A, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0944, USA. .,Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. .,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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16
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Liu F, Porco TC, Amza A, Kadri B, Nassirou B, West SK, Bailey RL, Keenan JD, Solomon AW, Emerson PM, Gambhir M, Lietman TM. Short-term Forecasting of the Prevalence of Trachoma: Expert Opinion, Statistical Regression, versus Transmission Models. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0004000. [PMID: 26302380 PMCID: PMC4547743 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2015] [Accepted: 07/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Trachoma programs rely on guidelines made in large part using expert opinion of what will happen with and without intervention. Large community-randomized trials offer an opportunity to actually compare forecasting methods in a masked fashion. Methods The Program for the Rapid Elimination of Trachoma trials estimated longitudinal prevalence of ocular chlamydial infection from 24 communities treated annually with mass azithromycin. Given antibiotic coverage and biannual assessments from baseline through 30 months, forecasts of the prevalence of infection in each of the 24 communities at 36 months were made by three methods: the sum of 15 experts’ opinion, statistical regression of the square-root-transformed prevalence, and a stochastic hidden Markov model of infection transmission (Susceptible-Infectious-Susceptible, or SIS model). All forecasters were masked to the 36-month results and to the other forecasts. Forecasts of the 24 communities were scored by the likelihood of the observed results and compared using Wilcoxon’s signed-rank statistic. Findings Regression and SIS hidden Markov models had significantly better likelihood than community expert opinion (p = 0.004 and p = 0.01, respectively). All forecasts scored better when perturbed to decrease Fisher’s information. Each individual expert’s forecast was poorer than the sum of experts. Interpretation Regression and SIS models performed significantly better than expert opinion, although all forecasts were overly confident. Further model refinements may score better, although would need to be tested and compared in new masked studies. Construction of guidelines that rely on forecasting future prevalence could consider use of mathematical and statistical models. Forecasts of infectious diseases are rarely made in a falsifiable manner. Trachoma trials offer an opportunity to actually compare forecasting methods in a masked fashion. The World Health Organization recommends at least three annual antibiotic mass drug administrations where the prevalence of trachoma is greater than 10% in children aged 1–9 years, with coverage at least at 80%. The Program for the Rapid Elimination of Trachoma trials estimated longitudinal prevalence of ocular chlamydial infection from 24 communities treated annually with mass azithromycin. Here, we compared forecasts of the prevalence of infection in each of the 24 communities at 36 months (given antibiotic coverage and biannual assessments from baseline through 30 months, and masked to the 36-month assessments) made by experts, statistical regression, and a transmission model. The transmission model was better than regression, with both far better than experts’ opinion. Construction of guidelines that rely on forecasting future prevalence could consider use of mathematical and statistical models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengchen Liu
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Travis C Porco
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America; Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America; Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Abdou Amza
- Programme FSS/Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, Programme National de Santé Oculaire, Niamey, Niger
| | - Boubacar Kadri
- Programme FSS/Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, Programme National de Santé Oculaire, Niamey, Niger
| | - Baido Nassirou
- Programme FSS/Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, Programme National de Santé Oculaire, Niamey, Niger
| | - Sheila K West
- Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Robin L Bailey
- Clinical Research Unit, Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jeremy D Keenan
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America; Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Anthony W Solomon
- Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Paul M Emerson
- International Trachoma Initiative, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Manoj Gambhir
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Thomas M Lietman
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America; Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America; Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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17
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Rahman SA, West SK, Mkocha H, Munoz B, Porco TC, Keenan JD, Lietman TM. The distribution of ocular Chlamydia prevalence across Tanzanian communities where trachoma is declining. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0003682. [PMID: 25815466 PMCID: PMC4376383 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mathematical models predict an exponential distribution of infection prevalence across communities where a disease is disappearing. Trachoma control programs offer an opportunity to test this hypothesis, as the World Health Organization has targeted trachoma for elimination as a public health concern by the year 2020. Local programs may benefit if a single survey could reveal whether infection was headed towards elimination. Using data from a previously-published 2009 survey, we test the hypothesis that Chlamydia trachomatis prevalence across 75 Tanzanian communities where trachoma had been documented to be disappearing is exponentially distributed. METHODS/FINDINGS We fit multiple continuous distributions to the Tanzanian data and found the exponential gave the best approximation. Model selection by Akaike Information Criteria (AICc) suggested the exponential distribution had the most parsimonious fit to the data. Those distributions which do not include the exponential as a special or limiting case had much lower likelihoods of fitting the observed data. 95% confidence intervals for shape parameter estimates of those distributions which do include the exponential as a special or limiting case were consistent with the exponential. Lastly, goodness-of-fit testing was unable to reject the hypothesis that the prevalence data came from an exponential distribution. CONCLUSIONS Models correctly predict that infection prevalence across communities where a disease is disappearing is best described by an exponential distribution. In Tanzanian communities where local control efforts had reduced the clinical signs of trachoma by 80% over 10 years, an exponential distribution gave the best fit to prevalence data. An exponential distribution has a relatively heavy tail, thus occasional high-prevalence communities are to be expected even when infection is disappearing. A single cross-sectional survey may be able to reveal whether elimination efforts are on-track.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salman A. Rahman
- F.I. Proctor Foundation, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Sheila K. West
- Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Harran Mkocha
- Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Beatriz Munoz
- Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Travis C. Porco
- F.I. Proctor Foundation, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jeremy D. Keenan
- F.I. Proctor Foundation, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Thomas M. Lietman
- F.I. Proctor Foundation, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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