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Aekphachaisawat N, Sawanyawisuth K, Khamsai S, Boonsawat W, Tiamkao S, Limpawattana P, Maleewong W, Ngamjarus C. A national surveillance of eosinophilic meningitis in Thailand. Parasite Epidemiol Control 2022; 19:e00272. [PMID: 36133000 PMCID: PMC9483718 DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2022.e00272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Eosinophilic meningitis (EOM) is an emerging infectious disease worldwide. The most common cause of EOM is infection with Angiostrongylus cantonensis One possible method of monitoring and control of this infection is surveillance and prediction. There are limited data on national surveillance and predictive models on EOM. This study aimed to develop an online surveillance with a predictive model for EOM by using the national database. Methods We retrospectively retrieved reported cases of EOM from all provinces in Thailand and quantified them by month and year. Data were retrieved from Ministry of Public Health database. We developed a website application to explore the EOM cases in Thailand including regions and provinces using box plots. The website also provided the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models and Seasonal ARIMA (SARIMA) models for predicting the disease cases from nation, region, and province levels. The suitable models were considered by minimum Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). The appropriate SARIMA model was used to predict the number of EOM cases. Results From 2003 to 2021, 3330 EOM cases were diagnosed and registered in the national database, with a peak in 2003 (median of 22 cases). We determined SARIMA(1,1,2)(2,0,0)[12] to be the most appropriate model, as it yielded the fitted values that were closest to the actual data. A predictive surveillance website was published on http://202.28.75.8/sample-apps/NationalEOM/. Conclusions We determined that web application can be used for monitoring and exploring the trend of EOM patients in Thailand. The predictive values matched the actual monthly numbers of EOM cases indicating a good fit of the predictive model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sittichai Khamsai
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Watchara Boonsawat
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Somsak Tiamkao
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Panita Limpawattana
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Wanchai Maleewong
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Chetta Ngamjarus
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
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Ho ATY, Morin L, Paarsch HJ, Huynh KP. A flexible framework for intervention analysis applied to credit-card usage during the coronavirus pandemic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FORECASTING 2022; 38:1129-1157. [PMID: 35035005 PMCID: PMC8748006 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijforecast.2021.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We develop a variant of intervention analysis designed to measure a change in the law of motion for the distribution of individuals in a cross-section, rather than modeling the moments of the distribution. To calculate a counterfactual forecast, we discretize the distribution and employ a Markov model in which the transition probabilities are modeled as a multinomial logit distribution. Our approach is scalable and is designed to be applied to micro-level data. A wide panel often carries with it several imperfections that complicate the analysis when using traditional time-series methods; our framework accommodates these imperfections. The result is a framework rich enough to detect intervention effects that not only shift the mean, but also those that shift higher moments, while leaving lower moments unchanged. We apply this framework to document the changes in credit usage of consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We consider multinomial logit models of the dependence of credit-card balances, with categorical variables representing monthly seasonality, homeownership status, and credit scores. We find that, relative to our forecasts, consumers have greatly reduced their use of credit. This result holds for homeowners and renters as well as consumers with both high and low credit scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anson T Y Ho
- Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University, Canada
| | - Lealand Morin
- Department of Economics, University of Central Florida, United States of America
| | - Harry J Paarsch
- Department of Economics, University of Central Florida, United States of America
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Nakamura GM, Souza ACC, Souza FCM, Bulcao-Neto RF, Martinez AS, Macedo AA. Using Symmetry to Enhance the Performance of Agent-Based Epidemic Models. IEEE/ACM TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY AND BIOINFORMATICS 2022; 19:1245-1254. [PMID: 32833641 DOI: 10.1109/tcbb.2020.3018901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Symmetries express the invariance of a system towards sets of mathematical transformations. In more practical terms, symmetries greatly reduce or simplify the computational efforts required to evaluate relevant properties of a system. In this paper, two methods are proposed to implement spin symmetries which simplify the analysis of the spreading of diseases in an agent-based epidemic model. We perform a set of simulations to measure the efficiency gains compared to traditional methods. Our findings show symmetry-based algorithms improve the performance of the Monte Carlo simulation and the exact Markov process.
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Goult E, Sathyendranath S, Kovač Ž, Kong CE, Stipanović P, Abdulaziz A, Menon N, George G, Platt T. Analysis of non-pharmaceutical interventions and their impacts on COVID-19 in Kerala. Sci Rep 2022; 12:584. [PMID: 35022445 PMCID: PMC8755744 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04488-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In the absence of an effective vaccine or drug therapy, non-pharmaceutical interventions are the only option for control of the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019, a pandemic with global implications. Each of the over 200 countries affected has followed its own path in dealing with the crisis, making it difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of measures implemented, either individually, or collectively. In this paper we analyse the case of the south Indian state of Kerala, which received much attention in the international media for its actions in containing the spread of the disease in the early months of the pandemic, but later succumbed to a second wave. We use a model to study the trajectory of the disease in the state during the first four months of the outbreak. We then use the model for a retrospective analysis of measures taken to combat the spread of the disease, to evaluate their impact. Because of the differences in the trajectory of the outbreak in Kerala, we argue that it is a model worthy of a place in the discussion on how the world might best handle this and other, future, pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Goult
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, UK
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Žarko Kovač
- University of Split, Faculty of Science, Split, Croatia
| | | | | | | | - Nandini Menon
- Nansen Environmental Research Centre - India, Kochi, India
| | - Grinson George
- ICAR Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi, India
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Majam M, Phatsoane M, Hanna K, Faul C, Arora L, Makthal S, Kumar A, Jois K, Lalla-Edward ST. Utility of a Machine-Guided Tool for Assessing Risk Behavior Associated With Contracting HIV in Three Sites in South Africa: Protocol for an In-Field Evaluation. JMIR Res Protoc 2021; 10:e30304. [PMID: 34860679 PMCID: PMC8686409 DOI: 10.2196/30304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mobile technology has helped to advance health programs, and studies have shown that an automated risk prediction model can successfully be used to identify patients who exhibit a high probable risk of contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A machine-guided tool is an algorithm that takes a set of subjective and objective answers from a simple questionnaire and computes an HIV risk assessment score. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this study is to establish that machine learning can be used to develop machine-guided tools and give us a deeper statistical understanding of the correlation between certain behavioral patterns and HIV. METHODS In total, 200 HIV-negative adult individuals across three South African study sites each (two semirural and one urban) will be recruited. Study processes will include (1) completing a series of questions (demographic, sexual behavior and history, personal, lifestyle, and symptoms) on an application system, unaided (assistance will only be provided upon user request); (2) two HIV tests (one per study visit) being performed by a nurse/counselor according to South African national guidelines (to evaluate the prediction accuracy of the tool); and (3) communicating test results and completing a user experience survey questionnaire. The output metrics for this study will be computed by using the participants' risk assessment scores as "predictions" and the test results as the "ground truth." Analyses will be completed after visit 1 and then again after visit 2. All risk assessment scores will be used to calculate the reliability of the machine-guided tool. RESULTS Ethical approval was received from the University of Witwatersrand Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC; ethics reference no. 200312) on August 20, 2020. This study is ongoing. Data collection has commenced and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2021. We will report on the machine-guided tool's performance and usability, together with user satisfaction and recommendations for improvement. CONCLUSIONS Machine-guided risk assessment tools can provide a cost-effective alternative to large-scale HIV screening and help in providing targeted counseling and testing to prevent the spread of HIV. TRIAL REGISTRATION South African National Clinical Trial Registry DOH-27-042021-679; https://sanctr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=5545. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/30304.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Majam
- Ezintsha, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Mothepane Phatsoane
- Ezintsha, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Developing Public Health Emergency Response Leaders in Incident Management: A Scoping Review of Educational Interventions. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2021; 16:2149-2178. [PMID: 34462032 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2021.164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
During emergency responses, public health leaders frequently serve in incident management roles that differ from their routine job functions. Leaders' familiarity with incident management principles and functions can influence response outcomes. Therefore, training and exercises in incident management are often required for public health leaders. To describe existing methods of incident management training and exercises in the literature, we queried 6 English language databases and found 786 relevant articles. Five themes emerged: (1) experiential learning as an established approach to foster engaging and interactive learning environments and optimize training design; (2) technology-aided decision support tools are increasingly common for crisis decision-making; (3) integration of leadership training in the education continuum is needed for developing public health response leaders; (4) equal emphasis on competency and character is needed for developing capable and adaptable leaders; and (5) consistent evaluation methodologies and metrics are needed to assess the effectiveness of educational interventions.These findings offer important strategic and practical considerations for improving the design and delivery of educational interventions to develop public health emergency response leaders. This review and ongoing real-world events could facilitate further exploration of current practices, emerging trends, and challenges for continuous improvements in developing public health emergency response leaders.
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Santamaría-Holek I, Castaño V. Possible fates of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the Mexican context. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:200886. [PMID: 33047049 PMCID: PMC7540779 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.200886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The determination of the adequate time for house confinement and when social distancing restrictions should end are now two of the main challenges that any country has to face in an ongoing battle against SARS-CoV-2. The possibility of a new outbreak of the pandemic and how to avoid it is, nowadays, one of the primary objectives of epidemiological research. In this work, we present an innovative compartmental model that explicitly introduces the number of active cases, and employ it as a conceptual tool to explore the possible fates of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the Mexican context. We incorporated the impact of starting, inattention and end of restrictive social policies on the pandemic's time evolution via time-dependent corrections to the infection rates. The magnitude and impact on the epidemic due to post-social restrictive policies are also studied. The scenarios generated by the model could help authorities determine an adequate time and population load that may be allowed to reassume normal activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Santamaría-Holek
- UMDI-J, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Querétaro CP 76230, México
| | - V Castaño
- Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Querétaro CP 76230, México
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Azam S, Macías-Díaz JE, Ahmed N, Khan I, Iqbal MS, Rafiq M, Nisar KS, Ahmad MO. Numerical modeling and theoretical analysis of a nonlinear advection-reaction epidemic system. COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE 2020; 193:105429. [PMID: 32251916 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2020.105429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Epidemic models are used to describe the dynamics of population densities or population sizes under suitable physical conditions. In view that population densities and sizes cannot take on negative values, the positive character of those quantities is an important feature that must be taken into account both analytically and numerically. In particular, susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) models must also take into account the positivity of the solutions. Unfortunately, many existing schemes to study SIR models do not take into account this relevant feature. As a consequence, the numerical solutions for these systems may exhibit the presence of negative population values. Nowadays, positivity (and, ultimately, boundedness) is an important characteristic sought for in numerical techniques to solve partial differential equations describing epidemic models. METHOD In this work, we will develop and analyze a positivity-preserving nonstandard implicit finite-difference scheme to solve an advection-reaction nonlinear epidemic model. More concretely, this discrete model has been proposed to approximate consistently the solutions of a spatio-temporal nonlinear advective dynamical system arising in many infectious disease phenomena. RESULTS The proposed scheme is capable of guaranteeing the positivity of the approximations. Moreover, we show that the numerical scheme is consistent, stable and convergent. Additionally, our finite-difference method is capable of preserving the endemic and the disease-free equilibrium points. Moreover, we will establish that our methodology is stable in the sense of von Neumann. CONCLUSION Comparisons with existing techniques show that the technique proposed in this work is a reliable and efficient structure-preserving numerical model. In summary, the present approach is a structure-preserving and efficient numerical technique which is easy to implement in any scientific language by any scientist with minimal knowledge on scientific programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumaila Azam
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of the Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Jorge E Macías-Díaz
- Departamento de Matemáticas y Física, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Avenida Universidad 940, Ciudad Universitaria, Aguascalientes, Ags. 20131, Mexico.
| | - Nauman Ahmed
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of the Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Ilyas Khan
- Faculty of Mathematics and Statistics, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 72915, Vietnam.
| | - Muhammad S Iqbal
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of the Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Rafiq
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Kottakkaran S Nisar
- Department of Mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Wadi Aldawasir, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
| | - Muhammad O Ahmad
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of the Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
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Zlojutro A, Rey D, Gardner L. A decision-support framework to optimize border control for global outbreak mitigation. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2216. [PMID: 30778107 PMCID: PMC6379393 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38665-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The introduction and spread of emerging infectious diseases is increasing in both prevalence and scale. Whether naturally, accidentally or maliciously introduced, the substantial uncertainty surrounding the emergence of novel viruses, specifically where they may come from and how they will spread, demands robust and quantifiably validated outbreak control policies that can be implemented in real time. This work presents a novel mathematical modeling framework that integrates both outbreak dynamics and outbreak control into a decision support tool for mitigating infectious disease pandemics that spread through passenger air travel. An ensemble of border control strategies that exploit properties of the air traffic network structure and expected outbreak behavior are proposed. A stochastic metapopulation epidemic model is developed to evaluate and rank the control strategies based on their effectiveness in reducing the spread of outbreaks. Sensitivity analyses are conducted to illustrate the robustness of the proposed control strategies across a range of outbreak scenarios, and a case study is presented for the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. This study highlights the importance of strategically allocating outbreak control resources, and the results can be used to identify the most robust border control policy that can be implemented in the early stages of an outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksa Zlojutro
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - David Rey
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Lauren Gardner
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
- Department of Civil Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
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