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Limaheluw J, Dollmann S, Folpmers S, Beltrán Beut L, Lazarakou A, Vermeulen LC, de Roda Husman AM. Associations between meteorological factors and COVID-19: a global scoping review. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1183706. [PMID: 39091528 PMCID: PMC11291467 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1183706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Many respiratory viruses and their associated diseases are sensitive to meteorological factors. For SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, evidence on this sensitivity is inconsistent. Understanding the influence of meteorological factors on SARS-CoV-2 transmission and COVID-19 epidemiology can help to improve pandemic preparedness. Objectives This review aimed to examine the recent evidence about the relation between meteorological factors and SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. Methods We conducted a global scoping review of peer-reviewed studies published from January 2020 up to January 2023 about the associations between temperature, solar radiation, precipitation, humidity, wind speed, and atmospheric pressure and SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. Results From 9,156 initial records, we included 474 relevant studies. Experimental studies on SARS-CoV-2 provided consistent evidence that higher temperatures and solar radiation negatively affect virus viability. Studies on COVID-19 (epidemiology) were mostly observational and provided less consistent evidence. Several studies considered interactions between meteorological factors or other variables such as demographics or air pollution. None of the publications included all determinants holistically. Discussion The association between short-term meteorological factors and SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 dynamics is complex. Interactions between environmental and social components need further consideration. A more integrated research approach can provide valuable insights to predict the dynamics of respiratory viruses with pandemic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse Limaheluw
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sophia Dollmann
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sofia Folpmers
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lola Beltrán Beut
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Afroditi Lazarakou
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Lucie C. Vermeulen
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Ana Maria de Roda Husman
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Li S, Gulisija D, Carja O. The evolutionary cost of homophily: social stratification facilitates stable variant coexistence and increased rates of evolution in host-associated pathogens. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.14.603415. [PMID: 39071438 PMCID: PMC11275799 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.14.603415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Coexistence of multiple strains of a pathogen in a host population can present significant challenges to vaccine development or treatment efficacy. Here we discuss a novel mechanism that can increase rates of long-lived strain polymorphism, rooted in the presence of social structure in a host population. We show that social preference of interaction, in conjunction with differences in immunity between host subgroups, can exert varying selection pressure on pathogen strains, creating a balancing mechanism that supports stable viral coexistence, independent of other known mechanisms. We use population genetic models to study rates of pathogen heterozygosity as a function of population size, host population composition, mutant strain fitness differences and host social preferences of interaction. We also show that even small periodic epochs of host population stratification can lead to elevated strain coexistence. These results are robust to varying social preferences of interaction, overall differences in strain fitnesses, and spatial heterogeneity in host population composition. Our results highlight the role of host population social stratification in increasing rates of pathogen strain diversity, with effects that should be considered when designing policies or treatments with a long-term view of curbing pathogen evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuanger Li
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Current affiliation: Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Davorka Gulisija
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Oana Carja
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Williams RC, Farkas K, Garcia-Delgado A, Adwan L, Kevill JL, Cross G, Weightman AJ, Jones DL. Simultaneous detection and characterization of common respiratory pathogens in wastewater through genomic sequencing. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 256:121612. [PMID: 38642537 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 has given insight into the evolution and epidemiology of the virus and its variant lineages during the COVID-19 pandemic. Expanding this approach to include a range of respiratory pathogens can better inform public health preparedness for potential outbreaks and epidemics. Here, we simultaneously sequenced 38 pathogens including influenza viruses, coronaviruses and bocaviruses, to examine the abundance and seasonality of respiratory pathogens in urban wastewater. We deployed a targeted bait capture method and short-read sequencing (Illumina Respiratory Virus Oligos Panel; RVOP) on composite wastewater samples from 8 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and one associated hospital site. By combining seasonal sampling with whole genome sequencing, we were able to concurrently detect and characterise a range of common respiratory pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, adenovirus and parainfluenza virus. We demonstrated that 38 respiratory pathogens can be detected at low abundances year-round, that hospital pathogen diversity is higher in winter vs. summer sampling events, and that significantly more viruses are detected in raw influent compared to treated effluent samples. Finally, we compared detection sensitivity of RT-qPCR vs. next generation sequencing for SARS-CoV-2, enteroviruses, influenza A/B, and respiratory syncytial viruses. We conclude that both should be used in combination; RT-qPCR allowed accurate quantification, whilst genomic sequencing detected pathogens at lower abundance. We demonstrate the valuable role of wastewater genomic surveillance and its contribution to the field of wastewater-based epidemiology, gaining rapid understanding of the seasonal presence and persistence for common respiratory pathogens. By simultaneously monitoring seasonal trends and early warning signs of many viruses circulating in communities, public health agencies can implement targeted prevention and rapid response plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C Williams
- School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK.
| | - Kata Farkas
- School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Alvaro Garcia-Delgado
- School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Latifah Adwan
- School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Jessica L Kevill
- School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Gareth Cross
- Science Evidence Advice Division, Health and Social Services Group, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ, UK
| | - Andrew J Weightman
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Davey L Jones
- School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK; Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch WA 6150, Australia
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4
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Kummer A, Zhang J, Jiang C, Litvinova M, Ventura P, Garcia M, Vespignani A, Wu H, Yu H, Ajelli M. Evaluating Seasonal Variations in Human Contact Patterns and Their Impact on the Transmission of Respiratory Infectious Diseases. Influenza Other Respir Viruses 2024; 18:e13301. [PMID: 38733199 PMCID: PMC11087848 DOI: 10.1111/irv.13301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human contact patterns are a key determinant driving the spread of respiratory infectious diseases. However, the relationship between contact patterns and seasonality as well as their possible association with the seasonality of respiratory diseases is yet to be clarified. METHODS We investigated the association between temperature and human contact patterns using data collected through a cross-sectional diary-based contact survey in Shanghai, China, between December 24, 2017, and May 30, 2018. We then developed a compartmental model of influenza transmission informed by the derived seasonal trends in the number of contacts and validated it against A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza data collected in Shanghai during the same period. RESULTS We identified a significant inverse relationship between the number of contacts and the seasonal temperature trend defined as a spline interpolation of temperature data (p = 0.003). We estimated an average of 16.4 (95% PrI: 15.1-17.5) contacts per day in December 2017 that increased to an average of 17.6 contacts (95% PrI: 16.5-19.3) in January 2018 and then declined to an average of 10.3 (95% PrI: 9.4-10.8) in May 2018. Estimates of influenza incidence obtained by the compartmental model comply with the observed epidemiological data. The reproduction number was estimated to increase from 1.24 (95% CI: 1.21-1.27) in December to a peak of 1.34 (95% CI: 1.31-1.37) in January. The estimated median infection attack rate at the end of the season was 27.4% (95% CI: 23.7-30.5%). CONCLUSIONS Our findings support a relationship between temperature and contact patterns, which can contribute to deepen the understanding of the relationship between social interactions and the epidemiology of respiratory infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allisandra G. Kummer
- Laboratory for Computational Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsIndiana University School of Public HealthBloomingtonIndianaUSA
| | - Juanjuan Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public HealthFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public HealthFudan University, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of EducationShanghaiChina
| | - Chenyan Jiang
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and PreventionShanghaiChina
| | - Maria Litvinova
- Laboratory for Computational Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsIndiana University School of Public HealthBloomingtonIndianaUSA
| | - Paulo C. Ventura
- Laboratory for Computational Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsIndiana University School of Public HealthBloomingtonIndianaUSA
| | - Marc A. Garcia
- Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion, Aging Studies Institute, Department of Sociology, and Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public AffairsSyracuse UniversitySyracuseNew YorkUSA
| | - Alessandro Vespignani
- Laboratory for the Modeling of Biological and Socio‐technical SystemsNortheastern UniversityBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Huanyu Wu
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and PreventionShanghaiChina
| | - Hongjie Yu
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public HealthFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public HealthFudan University, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of EducationShanghaiChina
| | - Marco Ajelli
- Laboratory for Computational Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsIndiana University School of Public HealthBloomingtonIndianaUSA
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Mofidfar M, Mehrgardi MA, Xia Y, Zare RN. Dependence on relative humidity in the formation of reactive oxygen species in water droplets. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315940121. [PMID: 38489384 PMCID: PMC10962988 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315940121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Water microdroplets (7 to 11 µm average diameter, depending on flow rate) are sprayed in a closed chamber at ambient temperature, whose relative humidity (RH) is controlled. The resulting concentration of ROS (reactive oxygen species) formed in the microdroplets, measured by the amount of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), is determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and by spectrofluorimetric assays after the droplets are collected. The results are found to agree closely with one another. In addition, hydrated hydroxyl radical cations (•OH-H3O+) are recorded from the droplets using mass spectrometry and superoxide radical anions (•O2-) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH) by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. As the RH varies from 15 to 95%, the concentration of H2O2 shows a marked rise by a factor of about 3.5 in going from 15 to 50%, then levels off. By replacing the H2O of the sprayed water with deuterium oxide (D2O) but keeping the gas surrounding droplets with H2O, mass spectrometric analysis of the hydrated hydroxyl radical cations demonstrates that the water in the air plays a dominant role in producing H2O2 and other ROS, which accounts for the variation with RH. As RH increases, the droplet evaporation rate decreases. These two facts help us understand why viruses in droplets both survive better at low RH values, as found in indoor air in the wintertime, and are disinfected more effectively at higher RH values, as found in indoor air in the summertime, thus explaining the recognized seasonality of airborne viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Masoud A. Mehrgardi
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Chemistry, University of Isfahan, Isfahan81743, Iran
| | - Yu Xia
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Richard N. Zare
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
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Baghban N, Momeni S, Behboudi E, Dianat-Moghadam H, Darabi A, Targhi HS, Keshavarz M. Green synthesis of MnO 2 NPs using Arabic gum: assessing its potential antiviral activity against influenza A/H1N1. Virol J 2024; 21:48. [PMID: 38395943 PMCID: PMC10893694 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-024-02315-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The antiviral properties of metal nanoparticles against various viruses, including those resistant to drugs, are currently a subject of intensive research. Recently, the green synthesis of nanoparticles and their anti-viral function have attracted a lot of attention. Previous studies have shown promising results in the use of Arabic gum for the green synthesis of nanoparticles with strong antiviral properties. In this study we aimed to investigate the antiviral effects of MnO2 nanoparticles (MnO2-NPs) synthesized using Arabic gum, particularly against the influenza virus. METHODS Arabic gum was used as a natural polymer to extract and synthesize MnO2-NPs using a green chemistry approach. The synthesized MnO2-NPs were characterized using SEM and TEM. To evaluate virus titration, cytotoxicity, and antiviral activity, TCID50, MTT, and Hemagglutination assay (HA) were performed, respectively. Molecular docking studies were also performed to investigate the potential antiviral activity of the synthesized MnO2-NPs against the influenza virus. The molecular docking was carried out using AutoDock Vina software followed by an analysis with VMD software to investigate the interaction between Arabic gum and the hemagglutinin protein. RESULTS Simultaneous combination treatment with the green-synthesized MnO2-NPs resulted in a 3.5 log HA decrement and 69.7% cellular protection, which demonstrated the most significant difference in cellular protection compared to the virus control group (p-value < 0.01). The docking results showed that binding affinities were between - 3.3 and - 5.8 kcal/mole relating with the interaction between target with MnO2 and beta-D-galactopyranuronic acid, respectively. CONCLUSION The results of the study indicated that the MnO2-NPs synthesized with Arabic gum had significant antiviral effects against the influenza virus, highlighting their potential as a natural and effective treatment for inhibition of respiratory infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Baghban
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Safieh Momeni
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Emad Behboudi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Khoy University of Medical Sciences, Khoy, Iran
| | - Hassan Dianat-Moghadam
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
- Pediatric Inherited Diseases Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Amirhossein Darabi
- The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | | | - Mohsen Keshavarz
- The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
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Yan ZL, Liu WH, Long YX, Ming BW, Yang Z, Qin PZ, Ou CQ, Li L. Effects of meteorological factors on influenza transmissibility by virus type/subtype. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:494. [PMID: 38365650 PMCID: PMC10870479 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17961-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Quantitative evidence on the impact of meteorological factors on influenza transmissibility across different virus types/subtypes is scarce, and no previous studies have reported the effect of hourly temperature variability (HTV) on influenza transmissibility. Herein, we explored the associations between meteorological factors and influenza transmissibility according to the influenza type and subtype in Guangzhou, a subtropical city in China. METHODS We collected influenza surveillance and meteorological data of Guangzhou between October 2010 and December 2019. Influenza transmissibility was measured using the instantaneous effective reproductive number (Rt). A gamma regression with a log link combined with a distributed lag non-linear model was used to assess the associations of daily meteorological factors with Rt by influenza types/subtypes. RESULTS The exposure-response relationship between ambient temperature and Rt was non-linear, with elevated transmissibility at low and high temperatures. Influenza transmissibility increased as HTV increased when HTV < around 4.5 °C. A non-linear association was observed between absolute humidity and Rt, with increased transmissibility at low absolute humidity and at around 19 g/m3. Relative humidity had a U-shaped association with influenza transmissibility. The associations between meteorological factors and influenza transmissibility varied according to the influenza type and subtype: elevated transmissibility was observed at high ambient temperatures for influenza A(H3N2), but not for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09; transmissibility of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 increased as HTV increased when HTV < around 4.5 °C, but the transmissibility decreased with HTV when HTV < 2.5 °C and 3.0 °C for influenza A(H3N2) and B, respectively; positive association of Rt with absolute humidity was witnessed for influenza A(H3N2) even when absolute humidity was larger than 19 g/m3, which was different from that for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B. CONCLUSIONS Temperature variability has an impact on influenza transmissibility. Ambient temperature, temperature variability, and humidity influence the transmissibility of different influenza types/subtypes discrepantly. Our findings have important implications for improving preparedness for influenza epidemics, especially under climate change conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze-Lin Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Biostatistics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wen-Hui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Biostatistics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yu-Xiang Long
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Biostatistics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Bo-Wen Ming
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Biostatistics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhou Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Biostatistics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Peng-Zhe Qin
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Chun-Quan Ou
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Biostatistics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Li Li
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Department of Biostatistics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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Rybarczyk Y, Zalakeviciute R, Ortiz-Prado E. Causal effect of air pollution and meteorology on the COVID-19 pandemic: A convergent cross mapping approach. Heliyon 2024; 10:e25134. [PMID: 38322928 PMCID: PMC10844283 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25134] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Environmental factors have been suspected to influence the propagation and lethality of COVID-19 in the global population. However, most of the studies have been limited to correlation analyses and did not use specific methods to address the dynamic of the causal relationship between the virus and its external drivers. This work focuses on inferring and understanding the causal effect of critical air pollutants and meteorological parameters on COVID-19 by using an Empirical Dynamic Modeling approach called Convergent Cross Mapping. This technique allowed us to identify the time-delayed causation and the sign of interactions. Considering its remarkable urban environment and mortality rate during the pandemic, Quito, Ecuador, was chosen as a case study. Our results show that both urban air pollution and meteorology have a causal impact on COVID-19. Even if the strength and the sign of the causality vary over time, a general trend can be drawn. NO2, SO2, CO and PM2.5 have a positive causation for COVID-19 infections (ρ > 0.35 and ∂ > 9.1). Contrary to current knowledge, this study shows a rapid effect of pollution on COVID-19 cases (1 < lag days <24) and a negative impact of O3 on COVID-19-related deaths (ρ = 0.53 and ∂ = -0.3). Regarding the meteorology, temperature (ρ = 0.24 and ∂ = -0.4) and wind speed (ρ = 0.34 and ∂ = -3.9) tend to mitigate the epidemiological consequences of SARS-CoV-2, whereas relative humidity seems to increase the excess deaths (ρ = 0.4 and ∂ = 0.05). A causal network is proposed to synthesize the interactions between the studied variables and to provide a simple model to support the management of coronavirus outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves Rybarczyk
- School of Information and Engineering, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden
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9
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Kyaw MH, Spinardi JR, Jagun O, Franco Villalobos C, Kapetanakis V, Sharf-Williams R, Yarnoff B. Descriptive analysis to assess seasonal patterns of COVID-19 and influenza in low-income and middle-income countries in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e081019. [PMID: 38296298 PMCID: PMC10831443 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Understanding disease seasonality can help predict the occurrence of outbreaks and inform public health planning. Respiratory diseases typically follow seasonal patterns; however, knowledge regarding the seasonality of COVID-19 and its impact on the seasonality of influenza remains limited. The objective of this study was to provide more evidence to understand the circulation of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, in an endemic scenario to guide potential preventive strategies. DESIGN In this study, a descriptive analysis was undertaken to describe seasonality trends and/or overlap between COVID-19 and influenza in 12 low-income and middle-income countries using Our World in Data and FluMart data sources. Plots of COVID-19 and influenza cases were analysed. SETTING Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. OUTCOME MEASURES COVID-19 cases and influenza cases. RESULTS No seasonal patterns of SARS-CoV-2 or SARS-CoV-2/influenza cocirculation were observed in most countries, even when considering the avian influenza pandemic period. CONCLUSIONS These results can inform public health strategies. The lack of observed seasonal behaviour highlights the importance of maintaining year-round vaccination rather than implementing seasonal campaigns. Further research investigating the influence of climate conditions, social behaviour and year-round preventive measures could be fundamental for shaping appropriate policies related to COVID-19 and respiratory viral disease control in low-income and middle-income countries as COVID-19 variant data and epidemiologic patterns accrue over time.
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10
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Methiyothin T, Ahn I. Comparison of geological clusters between influenza and COVID-19 in Thailand with unsupervised clustering analysis. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296888. [PMID: 38252644 PMCID: PMC10802941 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has considerably impacted public health, including the transmission patterns of other respiratory pathogens, such as the 2009 pandemic influenza (H1N1). COVID-19 and influenza are both respiratory infections that started with a lack of vaccination-based immunity in the population. However, vaccinations have been administered over time, resulting in a transition of the status of both diseases from a pandemic to an endemic. In this study, unsupervised clustering techniques were used to identify clusters of disease trends in Thailand. The analysis incorporated three distinct surveillance datasets: the pandemic influenza outbreak, influenza in the endemic stage, and the early stages of COVID-19. The analysis demonstrated a significant difference in the distribution of provinces between Cluster -1, representing those with unique transmission patterns, and the other clusters, indicating provinces with similar transmission patterns among their members. Specifically, for Pandemic Influenza, the ratio was 61:16, while for Pandemic COVID-19, it was 65:12. In contrast, Endemic Influenza exhibited a ratio of 46:31, with a notable emergence of more clustered provinces in the southern, western, and central regions. Furthermore, a pair of provinces with highly similar spreading patterns were identified during the pandemic stages of both influenza and COVID-19. Although the similarity decreased slightly for endemic influenza, they still belonged to the same cluster. Our objective was to identify the transmission patterns of influenza and COVID-19, with the aim of providing quantitative and spatial information to aid public health management in preparing for future pandemics or transitioning into an endemic phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanin Methiyothin
- Department of Data-Centric Problem Solving Research, Infectious Disease AI Team, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Applied AI, University of Science & Technology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Insung Ahn
- Department of Data-Centric Problem Solving Research, Infectious Disease AI Team, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Applied AI, University of Science & Technology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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Varela-Lasheras I, Perfeito L, Mesquita S, Gonçalves-Sá J. The effects of weather and mobility on respiratory viruses dynamics before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA and Canada. PLOS DIGITAL HEALTH 2023; 2:e0000405. [PMID: 38127792 PMCID: PMC10734953 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The flu season is caused by a combination of different pathogens, including influenza viruses (IVS), that cause the flu, and non-influenza respiratory viruses (NIRVs), that cause common colds or influenza-like illness. These viruses exhibit similar dynamics and meteorological conditions have historically been regarded as a principal modulator of their epidemiology, with outbreaks in the winter and almost no circulation during the summer, in temperate regions. However, after the emergence of SARS-CoV2, in late 2019, the dynamics of these respiratory viruses were strongly perturbed worldwide: some infections displayed near-eradication, while others experienced temporal shifts or occurred "off-season". This disruption raised questions regarding the dominant role of weather while also providing an unique opportunity to investigate the roles of different determinants on the epidemiological dynamics of IVs and NIRVs. Here, we employ statistical analysis and modelling to test the effects of weather and mobility in viral dynamics, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leveraging epidemiological surveillance data on several respiratory viruses, from Canada and the USA, from 2016 to 2023, we found that whereas in the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period, weather had a strong effect, in the pandemic period the effect of weather was strongly reduced and mobility played a more relevant role. These results, together with previous studies, indicate that behavioral changes resulting from the non-pharmacological interventions implemented to control SARS-CoV2, interfered with the dynamics of other respiratory viruses, and that the past dynamical equilibrium was disturbed, and perhaps permanently altered, by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irma Varela-Lasheras
- Nova School of Business and Economics, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Carcavelos, Portugal
| | - Lilia Perfeito
- LIP, Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sara Mesquita
- LIP, Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas, Lisbon, Portugal
- Nova Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana Gonçalves-Sá
- Nova School of Business and Economics, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Carcavelos, Portugal
- LIP, Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas, Lisbon, Portugal
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12
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N Naumova E. Forecasting Seasonal Acute Malnutrition: Setting the Framework. Food Nutr Bull 2023; 44:S83-S93. [PMID: 37850923 DOI: 10.1177/03795721231202238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malnutrition is an umbrella term that refers to an impairment in nutrition indicative of subsequently compromised human well-being. The term covers the full spectrum of nutritional impairments from a small yet detectable departure from a "norm" to a terminal stage when severe malnutrition could result in death. This broad spectrum of nutritional departures from "the optimum" dictates the need for an ensemble of metrics to capture the complexity of involved mechanisms, risk factors, precipitating events, short-term, and long-term consequences. Ideally, these metrics should be universally applicable to vulnerable populations, settings, ages, and times when people are most susceptible to malnutrition. We should be able to characterize and intervene to minimize the risk of malnutrition, especially child acute malnutrition that could be assessed by anthropometric measurements. OBJECTIVES The main challenge in reaching such an ambitious goal is the complexity of measuring, characterizing, explaining, predicting, and preventing malnutrition at any dimension: temporal or spatial and at any scale: a person or a group. The expansive body of literature has been accumulated on many temporal aspects of malnutrition and seasonal changes in nutritional (anthropometric) status. The research community is now shifting their attention to predictive modeling of child malnutrition and its importance for clinical and public health interventions. This communication aims to provide an overview of challenges for understanding child malnutrition from a perspective of predictive modeling focusing on well-documented seasonal variations in nutritional outcomes and exploring "the systems approach" to tackle underlining conceptual and practical complexities to forecast seasonal malnutrition in an accurate and timely manner. This generalized approach to forecasting seasonal malnutrition is then applied specifically to child acute malnutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena N Naumova
- Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
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13
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Zhang R, Lai KY, Liu W, Liu Y, Ma X, Webster C, Luo L, Sarkar C. Associations between Short-Term Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Influenza: An Individual-Level Case-Crossover Study in Guangzhou, China. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:127009. [PMID: 38078424 PMCID: PMC10711742 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Influenza imposes a heavy burden on public health. Little is known, however, of the associations between detailed measures of exposure to ambient air pollution and influenza at an individual level. OBJECTIVE We examined individual-level associations between six criteria air pollutants and influenza using case-crossover design. METHODS In this individual-level time-stratified case-crossover study, we linked influenza cases collected by the Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2019 with individual residence-level exposure to particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10 ), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), ozone (O 3 ) and carbon monoxide (CO). The exposures were estimated for the day of onset of influenza symptoms (lag 0), 1-7 d before the onset (lags 1-7), as well as an 8-d moving average (lag07), using a random forest model and linked to study participants' home addresses. Conditional logistic regression was developed to investigate the associations between short-term exposure to air pollution and influenza, adjusting for mean temperature, relative humidity, public holidays, population mobility, and community influenza susceptibility. RESULTS N = 108,479 eligible cases were identified in our study. Every 10 - μ g / m 3 increase in exposure to PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO 2 , and CO and every 5 - μ g / m 3 increase in SO 2 over 8-d moving average (lag07) was associated with higher risk of influenza with a relative risk (RR) of 1.028 (95% CI: 1.018, 1.038), 1.041 (95% CI: 1.032, 1.049), 1.169 (95% CI: 1.151, 1.188), 1.004 (95% CI: 1.003, 1.006), and 1.134 (95% CI: 1.107, 1.163), respectively. There was a negative association between O 3 and influenza with a RR of 0.878 (95% CI: 0.866, 0.890). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that short-term exposure to air pollution, except for O 3 , is associated with greater risk for influenza. Further studies are necessary to decipher underlying mechanisms and design preventive interventions and policies. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12145.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Zhang
- Healthy High Density Cities Lab, HKUrbanLab, University of Hong Kong (HKU), Hong Kong, China
- Department of Urban Planning and Design, HKU, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ka Yan Lai
- Healthy High Density Cities Lab, HKUrbanLab, University of Hong Kong (HKU), Hong Kong, China
- Department of Urban Planning and Design, HKU, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wenhui Liu
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanhui Liu
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaowei Ma
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chris Webster
- Healthy High Density Cities Lab, HKUrbanLab, University of Hong Kong (HKU), Hong Kong, China
- Department of Urban Planning and Design, HKU, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lei Luo
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chinmoy Sarkar
- Healthy High Density Cities Lab, HKUrbanLab, University of Hong Kong (HKU), Hong Kong, China
- Department of Urban Planning and Design, HKU, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Chan D, Lee L, Bancej C. Does the Australian influenza season predict the Canadian influenza season? A qualitative comparison of seasons, 2014-2020. CANADA COMMUNICABLE DISEASE REPORT = RELEVE DES MALADIES TRANSMISSIBLES AU CANADA 2023; 49:494-500. [PMID: 38504877 PMCID: PMC10946586 DOI: 10.14745/ccdr.v49i1112a05] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
A commonly held belief by the Canadian media and public is that the Australian influenza season is a fairly reliable indicator of what the Canadian influenza season that follows might be like. However, this claim is not well substantiated with epidemiological evidence. Therefore, the objective of this work was to qualitatively compare the timing of the onset, peak, and intensity of influenza activity, the dominant circulating influenza strains, and the seasonal vaccine and vaccination policies from 2014 to 2020 between Canada and Australia, using a combination of FluNet data and influenza surveillance reports and publications. Across the epidemiological indicators considered, the epidemics between Canada and Australia often differ. While vaccination policies and coverage are similar between the two countries, vaccine composition and vaccine effectiveness estimates also differ. Ultimately, there are many differences and confounding variables between the Australian and Canadian influenza seasons across numerous indicators that preclude the use of the Australian influenza season as the sole predictor of the Canadian influenza season. However, the availability of global surveillance data and robust national and sub-national surveillance data can provide lead time and inform within-season resource and capacity planning, as well as mitigation measures, for seasonal influenza epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Chan
- Centre for Immunization and Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON
| | - Liza Lee
- Centre for Immunization and Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON
| | - Christina Bancej
- Centre for Immunization and Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON
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Nematollahi MH, Mehrabani M, Hozhabri Y, Mirtajaddini M, Iravani S. Antiviral and antimicrobial applications of chalcones and their derivatives: From nature to greener synthesis. Heliyon 2023; 9:e20428. [PMID: 37810815 PMCID: PMC10556610 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Chalcones and their derivatives have been widely studied due to their versatile pharmacological and biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antitumor effects. These compounds have shown suitable antiviral effects through the selective targeting of a variety of viral enzymes, including lactate dehydrogenase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), fumarate reductase, protein tyrosine phosphatase, topoisomerase-II, protein kinases, integrase/protease, and lactate/isocitrate dehydrogenase, among others. Chalcones and their derivatives have displayed excellent potential for combating pathogenic bacteria and fungi (especially, multidrug-resistant bacteria). However, relevant mechanisms should be further explored, focusing on inhibitory effects against DNA gyrase B, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine enolpyruvyl transferase (MurA), and efflux pumps (e.g., NorA), among others. In addition, the antifungal and antiparasitic activities of these compounds (e.g., antitrypanosomal and antileishmanial properties) have prompted additional explorations. Nonetheless, systematic analysis of the relevant mechanisms, biosafety issues, and pharmacological properties, as well as clinical translation studies, are vital for practical applications. Herein, recent advancements pertaining to the antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, and antifungal activities of chalcones and their derivatives are deliberated, focusing on the relevant mechanisms of action, crucial challenges, and future prospects. Furthermore, due to the great importance of greener and more sustainable synthesis of these valuable compounds, especially on an industrial scale, the progress made in this field has been briefly discussed. Hopefully, this review can serve as a catalyst for researchers to delve deeper into the exploration and designing of novel chalcone compounds with medicinal properties, especially against pathogenic viruses and multidrug-resistant bacteria as major causes of concern for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Hadi Nematollahi
- Herbal and Traditional Medicines Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mehrnaz Mehrabani
- Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Yaser Hozhabri
- Applied Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Maryamossadat Mirtajaddini
- Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Siavash Iravani
- Independent Researcher, W Nazar ST, Boostan Ave, Isfahan, Iran
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16
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Amendolara AB, Sant D, Rotstein HG, Fortune E. LSTM-based recurrent neural network provides effective short term flu forecasting. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1788. [PMID: 37710241 PMCID: PMC10500783 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16720-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Influenza virus is responsible for a yearly epidemic in much of the world. To better predict short-term, seasonal variations in flu infection rates and possible mechanisms of yearly infection variation, we trained a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM)-based deep neural network on historical Influenza-Like-Illness (ILI), climate, and population data. METHODS Data were collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Center for Environmental Information (NCEI), and the United States Census Bureau. The model was initially built in Python using the Keras API and tuned manually. We explored the roles of temperature, precipitation, local wind speed, population size, vaccination rate, and vaccination efficacy. The model was validated using K-fold cross validation as well as forward chaining cross validation and compared to several standard algorithms. Finally, simulation data was generated in R and used for further exploration of the model. RESULTS We found that temperature is the strongest predictor of ILI rates, but also found that precipitation increased the predictive power of the network. Additionally, the proposed model achieved a +1 week prediction mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.1973. This is less than half of the MAE achieved by the next best performing algorithm. Additionally, the model accurately predicted simulation data. To test the role of temperature in the network, we phase-shifted temperature in time and found a predictable reduction in prediction accuracy. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that short term flu forecasting may be effectively accomplished using architectures traditionally reserved for time series analysis. The proposed LSTM-based model was able to outperform comparison models at the +1 week time point. Additionally, this model provided insight into the week-to-week effects of climatic and biotic factors and revealed potential patterns in data series. Specifically, we found that temperature is the strongest predictor of seasonal flu infection rates. This information may prove to be especially important for flu forecasting given the uncertain long-term impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on seasonal influenza.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfred B. Amendolara
- Department of Biomedical Science, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, Provo, USA
- Federated Department of Biology, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, USA
| | - David Sant
- Department of Biomedical Science, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, Provo, USA
| | - Horacio G. Rotstein
- Federated Department of Biology, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, USA
| | - Eric Fortune
- Federated Department of Biology, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, USA
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17
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Yin Y, Lai M, Zhou S, Chen Z, Jiang X, Wang L, Li Z, Peng Z. Effects and interaction of temperature and relative humidity on the trend of influenza prevalence: A multi-central study based on 30 provinces in mainland China from 2013 to 2018. Infect Dis Model 2023; 8:822-831. [PMID: 37496828 PMCID: PMC10366480 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2023.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Evidence is inefficient about how meteorological factors influence the trends of influenza transmission in different regions of China. Methods We estimated the time-varying reproduction number (Rt) of influenza and explored the impact of temperature and relative humidity on Rt using generalized additive quasi-Poisson regression models combined with the distribution lag non-linear model (DLNM). The effect of temperature and humidity interaction on Rt of influenza was explored. The multiple random-meta analysis was used to evaluate region-specific association. The excess risk (ER) index was defined to investigate the correlation between Rt and each meteorological factor with the modification of seasonal and regional characteristics. Results Low temperature and low relative humidity contributed to influenza epidemics on the national level, while shapes of merged cumulative effect plots were different across regions. Compared to that of median temperature, the merged RR (95%CI) of low temperature in northern and southern regions were 1.40(1.24,1.45) and 1.20 (1.14,1.27), respectively, while those of high temperature were 1.10(1.03,1.17) and 1.00 (0.95,1.04), respectively. There were negative interactions between temperature and relative humidity on national (SI = 0.59, 95%CI: 0.57-0.61), southern (SI = 0.49, 95%CI: 0.17-0.80), and northern regions (SI = 0.59, 95%CI: 0.56,0.62). In general, with the increase of the change of the two meteorological factors, the ER of Rt also gradually increased. Conclusions Temperature and relative humidity have an effect on the influenza epidemics in China, and there is an interaction between the two meteorological factors, but the effect of each factor is heterogeneous among regions. Meteorological factors may be considered to predict the trend of influenza epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yin
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Miao Lai
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Sijia Zhou
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Ziying Chen
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Xin Jiang
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Liping Wang
- Division of Infectious Disease/Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Early Warning on Infectious Disease, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Zhongjie Li
- School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihang Peng
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
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18
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Hoyer-Leitzel A, Iams S, Haslam-Hyde A, Zeeman M, Fefferman N. An immuno-epidemiological model for transient immune protection: A case study for viral respiratory infections. Infect Dis Model 2023; 8:855-864. [PMID: 37502609 PMCID: PMC10369473 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2023.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The dynamics of infectious disease in a population critically involves both within-host pathogen replication and between host pathogen transmission. While modeling efforts have recently explored how within-host dynamics contribute to shaping population transmission, fewer have explored how ongoing circulation of an epidemic infectious disease can impact within-host immunological dynamics. We present a simple, influenza-inspired model that explores the potential for re-exposure during a single, ongoing outbreak to shape individual immune response and epidemiological potential in non-trivial ways. We show how even a simplified system can exhibit complex ongoing dynamics and sensitive thresholds in behavior. We also find epidemiological stochasticity likely plays a critical role in reinfection or in the maintenance of individual immunological protection over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Hoyer-Leitzel
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College St, South Hadley, MA, 01075, USA
| | - S.M. Iams
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, USA
| | - A.J. Haslam-Hyde
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Boston University, USA
| | - M.L. Zeeman
- Department of Mathematics, Bowdoin College, USA
| | - N.H. Fefferman
- Dept of Mathematics & Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology & NIMBioS, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
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Servadio JL, Thai PQ, Choisy M, Boni MF. Repeatability and timing of tropical influenza epidemics. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011317. [PMID: 37467254 PMCID: PMC10389745 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Much of the world experiences influenza in yearly recurring seasons, particularly in temperate areas. These patterns can be considered repeatable if they occur predictably and consistently at the same time of year. In tropical areas, including southeast Asia, timing of influenza epidemics is less consistent, leading to a lack of consensus regarding whether influenza is repeatable. This study aimed to assess repeatability of influenza in Vietnam, with repeatability defined as seasonality that occurs at a consistent time of year with low variation. We developed a mathematical model incorporating parameters to represent periods of increased transmission and then fitted the model to data collected from sentinel hospitals throughout Vietnam as well as four temperate locations. We fitted the model for individual (sub)types of influenza as well as all combined influenza throughout northern, central, and southern Vietnam. Repeatability was evaluated through the variance of the timings of peak transmission. Model fits from Vietnam show high variance (sd = 64-179 days) in peak transmission timing, with peaks occurring at irregular intervals and throughout different times of year. Fits from temperate locations showed regular, annual epidemics in winter months, with low variance in peak timings (sd = 32-57 days). This suggests that influenza patterns are not repeatable or seasonal in Vietnam. Influenza prevention in Vietnam therefore cannot rely on anticipation of regularly occurring outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L Servadio
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Pham Quang Thai
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
- School of Preventative Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Marc Choisy
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Maciej F Boni
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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20
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Zhang R, Lai KY, Liu W, Liu Y, Cai W, Webster C, Luo L, Sarkar C. Association of climatic variables with risk of transmission of influenza in Guangzhou, China, 2005-2021. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 252:114217. [PMID: 37418782 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Climatic variables constitute important extrinsic determinants of transmission and seasonality of influenza. Yet quantitative evidence of independent associations of viral transmissibility with climatic factors has thus far been scarce and little is known about the potential effects of interactions between climatic factors on transmission. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the associations of key climatic factors with risk of influenza transmission in subtropical Guangzhou. METHODS Influenza epidemics were identified over a 17-year period using the moving epidemic method (MEM) from a dataset of N = 295,981 clinically- and laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza in Guangzhou. Data on eight key climatic variables were collected from China Meteorological Data Service Centre. Generalized additive model combined with the distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) were developed to estimate the exposure-lag-response curve showing the trajectory of instantaneous reproduction number (Rt) across the distribution of each climatic variable after adjusting for depletion of susceptible, inter-epidemic effect and school holidays. The potential interaction effects of temperature, humidity and rainfall on influenza transmission were also examined. RESULTS Over the study period (2005-21), 21 distinct influenza epidemics with varying peak timings and durations were identified. Increasing air temperature, sunshine, absolute and relative humidity were significantly associated with lower Rt, while the associations were opposite in the case of ambient pressure, wind speed and rainfall. Rainfall, relative humidity, and ambient temperature were the top three climatic contributors to variance in transmissibility. Interaction models found that the detrimental association between high relative humidity and transmissibility was more pronounced at high temperature and rainfall. CONCLUSION Our findings are likely to help understand the complex role of climatic factors in influenza transmission, guiding informed climate-related mitigation and adaptation policies to reduce transmission in high density subtropical cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Zhang
- Healthy High Density Cities Lab, HKUrbanLab, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China; Department of Urban Planning and Design, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ka Yan Lai
- Healthy High Density Cities Lab, HKUrbanLab, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China; Department of Urban Planning and Design, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wenhui Liu
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanhui Liu
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenfeng Cai
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chris Webster
- Healthy High Density Cities Lab, HKUrbanLab, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China; Department of Urban Planning and Design, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China; Urban Systems Institute, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lei Luo
- Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Chinmoy Sarkar
- Healthy High Density Cities Lab, HKUrbanLab, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China; Department of Urban Planning and Design, The University of Hong Kong, Knowles Building, Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK; Urban Systems Institute, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Alsuwailem SI, Okmi EA, Alkhaldi EH, Almutairi KS, Alshamari WK. Determinants of Flu Vaccine Uptake Among the General Population in Saudi Arabia: A Study Based on the Health Belief Model. Cureus 2023; 15:e41277. [PMID: 37533606 PMCID: PMC10392738 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.41277] [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] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and objective Recently, influenza has emerged as a significant public health concern worldwide, including in Saudi Arabia. Vaccination against the flu is widely recognized as a crucial preventive measure to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with the virus. However, the uptake of flu vaccines among the general population in Saudi Arabia still remains low. In light of this, this study aimed to examine the determinants of influenza vaccine uptake in Saudi Arabia by using the Health Belief Model (HBM). Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among adults living in all regions of Saudi Arabia by using an online self-administered questionnaire based on the HBM. The questionnaire inquired about demographics, knowledge about influenza, knowledge about vaccines, and beliefs/barriers. It was distributed via social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Twitter, and Instagram. IBM SPSS Statistics software version 29 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) was used for statistical analyses, and both the Chi-square test and logic regression analyses were applied to determine associations between explanatory and response variables, with the level of significance set at p<0.05. Results This study enrolled a total of 1040 participants, and the majority were Saudi nationals (96.9%). Of note, 66.2% of the participants were males, and the rest were females. Most of the participants were employed by governmental institutions (42.0%), had bachelor's degrees (58.4%), had never worked in the health sector (70.2%), and earned above 10,000 Saudi riyals per month (62.1%). Over half (55.7%) of participants had taken the flu vaccine at the time of this study. Working in the healthcare sector was associated with increased flu vaccine uptake [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 3.84, p<0.001]. The likelihood of getting the flu vaccines was greater among men (aOR: 1.38, p=0.027), and obesity was associated with lower flu vaccine uptake (aOR: 0.29, p=0.034). Having contact with people with flu, having had flu in the past, and experiencing severe flu complications (aOR: 4.71, p=0.029; aOR: 0.13, p=0.006; and aOR: 0.29, p=0.033, respectively) were significantly associated with the flu vaccine uptake among our study participants. Perceived potential risks of the flu vaccine were also associated with taking the flu vaccine (aOR: 0.213, p=0.042). There was a significant association between seeing an advertisement for the flu vaccine and the likelihood of taking the vaccine (aOR: 5.488, p=0.042). Conclusion This study found that certain sociodemographic factors are associated with flu vaccine uptake. These factors included contact with flu-infected individuals, past experiences with flu, perceived risks, and exposure to flu vaccine advertisements. Improving healthcare accessibility, conducting awareness campaigns, and implementing workplace initiatives are recommended to address the issues related to flu vaccine uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ezzuddin A Okmi
- Respiratory Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control, Saudi Public Health Authority, Riyadh, SAU
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Zhang R, Li Y, Bi P, Wu S, Peng Z, Meng Y, Wang Y, Wang S, Huang Y, Liang J, Wu J. Seasonal associations between air pollutants and influenza in 10 cities of southern China. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 252:114200. [PMID: 37329817 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Few studies have explored the associations between air pollutants and influenza across seasons, especially at large scales. This study aimed to evaluate seasons' modifying effects on associations between air pollutants and influenza from 10 cities of southern China. Through scientific evidence, it provides mitigation and adaptation strategies with practical guidelines to local health authorities and environmental protection agencies. Daily influenza incidence, meteorological, and air pollutants data from 2016 to 2019 were collected. Quasi-Poisson regression with a distributed lag nonlinear model was used to evaluate city-specific air pollutants and influenza associations. Meta-analysis was used to pool site-specific estimates. Attributable fractions (AFs) of influenza incidence due to pollutants were calculated. Stratified analyses were conducted by season, sex, and age. Overall, the cumulative relative risk (CRR) of influenza incidence for a 10-unit increase in PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, and CO was 1.45 (95% CI: 1.25, 1.68), 1.53 (95% CI: 1.29, 1.81), 1.87 (95% CI: 1.40, 2.48), 1.74 (95% CI: 1.49, 2.03), and 1.19 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.36), respectively. Children aged 0-17 were more sensitive to air pollutants in spring and winter. PM10 had greater effect on influenza than PM2.5 in autumn, winter, and overall, lesser in spring. The overall AF due to PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, and CO was 4.46% (95% eCI: 2.43%, 6.43%), 5.03% (95% eCI: 2.33%, 7.56%), 5.36% (95% eCI: 3.12%, 7.58%), 24.88% (95% eCI: 18.02%, 31.67%), and 23.22% (95% eCI: 17.56%, 28.61%), respectively. AF due to O3 was 10.00% (95% eCI: 4.76%, 14.95%) and 3.65% (95% eCI: 0.50%, 6.59%) in spring and summer, respectively. The seasonal variations in the associations between air pollutants and influenza in southern China would provide evidence to service providers for tailored intervention, especially for vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zhang
- National Center for Chronic and Noncommunicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Yonghong Li
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Bi
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Siyuan Wu
- Sprott School of Business, Carleton University, Ottawa Ontario, Canada
| | - Zhibin Peng
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Yujie Meng
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Wang
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Songwang Wang
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Yushu Huang
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Liang
- China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Wu
- National Center for Chronic and Noncommunicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
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23
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Waterlow NR, Radhakrishnan S, Dawa J, van Leeuwen E, Procter SR, Lambach P, Bresee J, Mazur M, Eggo RM, Jit M. Potential health and economic impact of paediatric vaccination using next-generation influenza vaccines in Kenya: a modelling study. BMC Med 2023; 21:106. [PMID: 36949456 PMCID: PMC10032252 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-02830-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Influenza is a major year-round cause of respiratory illness in Kenya, particularly in children under 5. Current influenza vaccines result in short-term, strain-specific immunity and were found in a previous study not to be cost-effective in Kenya. However, next-generation vaccines are in development that may have a greater impact and cost-effectiveness profile. METHODS We expanded a model previously used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccines in Kenya to include next-generation vaccines by allowing for enhanced vaccine characteristics and multi-annual immunity. We specifically examined vaccinating children under 5 years of age with improved vaccines, evaluating vaccines with combinations of increased vaccine effectiveness, cross-protection between strains (breadth) and duration of immunity. We evaluated cost-effectiveness using incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and incremental net monetary benefits (INMBs) for a range of values for the willingness-to-pay (WTP) per DALY averted. Finally, we estimated threshold per-dose vaccine prices at which vaccination becomes cost-effective. RESULTS Next-generation vaccines can be cost-effective, dependent on the vaccine characteristics and assumed WTP thresholds. Universal vaccines (assumed to provide long-term and broad immunity) are most cost-effective in Kenya across three of four WTP thresholds evaluated, with the lowest median value of ICER per DALY averted ($263, 95% Credible Interval (CrI): $ - 1698, $1061) and the highest median INMBs. At a WTP of $623, universal vaccines are cost-effective at or below a median price of $5.16 per dose (95% CrI: $0.94, $18.57). We also show that the assumed mechanism underlying infection-derived immunity strongly impacts vaccine outcomes. CONCLUSIONS This evaluation provides evidence for country-level decision makers about future next-generation vaccine introduction, as well as global research funders about the potential market for these vaccines. Next-generation vaccines may offer a cost-effective intervention to reduce influenza burden in low-income countries with year-round seasonality like Kenya.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi R Waterlow
- Centre for Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC14 7HT, UK.
| | - Sreejith Radhakrishnan
- Centre for Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC14 7HT, UK
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Jeanette Dawa
- Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
- Washington State University - Global Health Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Edwin van Leeuwen
- Centre for Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC14 7HT, UK
- Statistics, Modelling and Economics Department, UK Health Security Agency, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Simon R Procter
- Centre for Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC14 7HT, UK
| | - Philipp Lambach
- Immunization Vaccines and Biologicals Department, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Rosalind M Eggo
- Centre for Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC14 7HT, UK
| | - Mark Jit
- Centre for Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC14 7HT, UK
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Seasonal trends in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and mortality in the United States and Europe. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3886. [PMID: 36890264 PMCID: PMC9994397 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31057-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Determining whether SARS-CoV-2 exhibits seasonality like other respiratory viruses is critical for public health planning. We evaluated whether COVID-19 rates follow a seasonal pattern using time series models. We used time series decomposition to extract the annual seasonal component of COVID-19 case, hospitalization, and mortality rates from March 2020 through December 2022 for the United States and Europe. Models were adjusted for a country-specific stringency index to account for confounding by various interventions. Despite year-round disease activity, we identified seasonal spikes in COVID-19 from approximately November through April for all outcomes and in all countries. Our results support employing annual preventative measures against SARS-CoV-2, such as administering seasonal booster vaccines in a similar timeframe as those in place for influenza. Whether certain high-risk individuals may need more than one COVID-19 vaccine booster dose each year will depend on factors like vaccine durability against severe illness and levels of year-round disease activity.
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25
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Wu Y, Liang M, Liang Q, Yang X, Sun Y. A distributed lag non-linear time-series study of ambient temperature and healthcare-associated infections in Hefei, China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2023; 33:258-267. [PMID: 34915779 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2021.2017862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about the effects of temperature on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). A distributed lag non-linear model was used to estimate the association between ambient temperature and HAIs in Hefei, China. In total, 9,592 HAIs were included. The effect of low temperature (-0.1°C, 2.5th percentile) was significant on the current day (RR = 1.108, 95%CI:1.003-1.222), and then appeared on the 4th day (RR = 1.045, 95%CI:1.007-1.084) and the 5th day (RR = 1.033, 95%CI:1.006-1.061). The cumulative lag effects of low temperature lasted from the 5th to 10th days (RR = 1.123-1.143), and a long-term cumulative lag effect was observed on the 14th day (RR = 1.157, 95%CI:1.001-1.338). The lag effect of high temperature (31.0°C, 97.5th percentile) was not statistically significant. However, the effects of temperatures on HAIs were not significant among gender or age subgroups. This study suggests that the low temperatures have acute and lag effects on HAIs in Hefei, China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yile Wu
- Department of Hospital Infection Prevention and Control, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Mingming Liang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Qiwei Liang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Department of Hospital infection Prevention and Control, Children's Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xiyao Yang
- Department of Hospital Infection Prevention and Control, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yehuan Sun
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Center for Evidence-Based Practice, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
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26
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Ma P, Zhou N, Wang X, Zhang Y, Tang X, Yang Y, Ma X, Wang S. Stronger susceptibilities to air pollutants of influenza A than B were identified in subtropical Shenzhen, China. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 219:115100. [PMID: 36565842 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution was indicated to be a key factor contributing to the aggressive spread of influenza viruses, whereas uncertainty still exists regarding to whether distinctions exist between influenza subtypes. Our study quantified the impact of five air pollutants on influenza subtype outbreaks in Shenzhen, China, a densely populated and highly urbanized megacity. Daily influenza outbreak data of laboratory-confirmed positive cases were obtained from the Shenzhen CDC, from May 1, 2013 to Dec 31, 2015. Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matters ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5), particulate matters ≤10 μm (PM10), and ozone (O3), were retrieved from the 18 national monitoring stations. The generalized additive model (GAM) and distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) were used to calculate the concentration-response relationships between environmental inducers and outbreak epidemics, respectively for influenza A (Flu-A) and B (Flu-B). There were 1687 positive specimens were confirmed during the study period. The cold season was restricted from Nov. 4th to Apr. 20th, covering all seasons other than the long-lasting summer. Relatively heavy fine particle matter (PM2.5) and NO2 pollution was observed in cold months, with mean concentrations of 46.06 μg/m3 and 40.03 μg/m3, respectively. Time-series analysis indicated that high concentrations of NO2, PM2.5, PM10, and O3 were associated with more influenza outbreaks at short lag periods (0-5 d). Although more Flu-B (679 cases) epidemics occurred than Flu-A (382 cases) in the cold season, Flu-A generally showed higher susceptibility to air pollutants. A 10 μg/m3 increment in concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, and O3 at lag 04, was associated with a 2.103 (95%CI: 1.528-2.893), 1.618 (95%CI: 1.311-1.996), and 1.569 (95%CI: 1.214-2.028) of the relative risk (RR) of Flu-A, respectively. A 5 μg/m3 increase in NO2 was associated with higher risk of Flu-A at lag 03 (RR = 1.646, 95%CI: 1.295-2.092) and of Flu-B at lag 04 (RR = 1.319, 95%CI: 1.095-1.588). Nevertheless, barely significant effect of particulate matters (PM2.5, PM10) on Flu-B and SO2 on both subtypes was detected. Further, the effect estimates of NO2 increased for both subtypes when coexisting with other pollutants. This study provides evidence that declining concentrations of main pollutants including NO2, O3, and particulate matters, could substantially decrease influenza risk in subtropical Shenzhen, especially for influenza A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Ma
- Plateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Atmospheric Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, 610225, Sichuan, China; Chengdu Plain Urban Meteorology and Environment Scientific Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, 610225, Sichuan, China.
| | - Ning Zhou
- The First People's Hospital of Lanzhou, Lanzhou, 730050, Gansu, China.
| | - Xinzi Wang
- Meteorological Bureau of Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, China.
| | - Ying Zhang
- Plateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Atmospheric Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, 610225, Sichuan, China; Chengdu Plain Urban Meteorology and Environment Scientific Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, 610225, Sichuan, China.
| | - Xiaoxin Tang
- Shenzhen National Climate Observatory, Shenzhen, 518000, China.
| | - Yang Yang
- Plateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Atmospheric Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, 610225, Sichuan, China.
| | - Xiaolu Ma
- Plateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Atmospheric Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, 610225, Sichuan, China.
| | - Shigong Wang
- Plateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Atmospheric Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, 610225, Sichuan, China.
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Singh K, Mehta D, Dumka S, Chauhan AS, Kumar S. Quasispecies Nature of RNA Viruses: Lessons from the Past. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11020308. [PMID: 36851186 PMCID: PMC9963406 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11020308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral quasispecies are distinct but closely related mutants formed by the disparity in viral genomes due to recombination, mutations, competition, and selection pressure. Theoretical derivation for the origin of a quasispecies is owed to the error-prone replication by polymerase and mutants of RNA replicators. Here, we briefly addressed the theoretical and mathematical origin of quasispecies and their dynamics. The impact of quasispecies for major salient human pathogens is reviewed. In the current global scenario, rapid changes in geographical landscapes favor the origin and selection of mutants. It comes as no surprise that a cauldron of mutants poses a significant risk to public health, capable of causing pandemics. Mutation rates in RNA viruses are magnitudes higher than in DNA organisms, explaining their enhanced virulence and evolvability. RNA viruses cause the most devastating pandemics; for example, members of the Orthomyxoviridae family caused the great influenza pandemic (1918 flu or Spanish flu), the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) outbreak, and the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV), lentiviruses of the Retroviridae family, caused worldwide devastation. Rapidly evolving RNA virus populations are a daunting challenge for the designing of effective control measures like vaccines. Developing awareness of the evolutionary dispositions of RNA viral mutant spectra and what influences their adaptation and virulence will help curtail outbreaks of past and future pathogens.
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Yin J, Liu T, Tang F, Chen D, Sun L, Song S, Zhang S, Wu J, Li Z, Xing W, Wang X, Ding G. Effects of ambient temperature on influenza-like illness: A multicity analysis in Shandong Province, China, 2014-2017. Front Public Health 2023; 10:1095436. [PMID: 36699880 PMCID: PMC9868675 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1095436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The associations between ambient temperature and influenza-like illness (ILI) have been investigated in previous studies. However, they have inconsistent results. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of ambient temperature on ILI in Shandong Province, China. Methods Weekly ILI surveillance and meteorological data over 2014-2017 of the Shandong Province were collected from the Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the China Meteorological Data Service Center, respectively. A distributed lag non-linear model was adopted to estimate the city-specific temperature-ILI relationships, which were used to pool the regional-level and provincial-level estimates through a multivariate meta-analysis. Results There were 911,743 ILI cases reported in the study area between 2014 and 2017. The risk of ILI increased with decreasing weekly ambient temperature at the provincial level, and the effect was statistically significant when the temperature was <-1.5°C (RR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.00-1.54). We found that the relationship between temperature and ILI showed an L-shaped curve at the regional level, except for Southern Shandong (S-shaped). The risk of ILI was influenced by cold, with significant lags from 2.5 to 3 weeks, and no significant effect of heat on ILI was found. Conclusion Our findings confirm that low temperatures significantly increased the risk of ILI in the study area. In addition, the cold effect of ambient temperature may cause more risk of ILI than the hot effect. The findings have significant implications for developing strategies to control ILI and respond to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Yin
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China,Center for Big Data Research in Health and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Ti Liu
- Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Fang Tang
- Center for Big Data Research in Health and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Dongzhen Chen
- Institute of Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Liaocheng Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Liaocheng, Shandong, China
| | - Lin Sun
- Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Shaoxia Song
- Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Shengyang Zhang
- Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Julong Wu
- Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zhong Li
- Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Weijia Xing
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China,Weijia Xing ✉
| | - Xianjun Wang
- Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, Shandong, China,Xianjun Wang ✉
| | - Guoyong Ding
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China,*Correspondence: Guoyong Ding ✉
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Han A, Deng S, Yu J, Zhang Y, Jalaludin B, Huang C. Asthma triggered by extreme temperatures: From epidemiological evidence to biological plausibility. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114489. [PMID: 36208788 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is rapidly growing evidence indicating that extreme temperature is a crucial trigger and potential activator of asthma; however, the effects of extreme temperature on asthma are inconsistently reported and the its potential mechanisms remain undefined. OBJECTIVES This review aims to estimate the impacts of extreme heat, extreme cold, and temperature variations on asthma by systematically summarizing the existing studies from epidemiological evidence to biological plausibility. METHODS We conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from inception to June 30, 2022, and we retrieved articles of epidemiology and biological studies which assessed associations between extreme temperatures and asthma. This protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021273613). RESULTS From 12,435 identified records, 111 eligible studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, and 37 articles were included in the meta-analysis (20 for extreme heat, 16 for extreme cold, and 15 for temperature variations). For epidemiological evidence, we found that the synergistic effects of extreme temperatures, indoor/outdoor environments, and individual vulnerabilities are important triggers for asthma attacks, especially when there is extreme heat or cold. Meta-analysis further confirmed the associations, and the pooled relative risks for asthma attacks in extreme heat and extreme cold were 1.07 (95%CI: 1.03-1.12) and 1.20 (95%CI: 1.12-1.29), respectively. Additionally, this review discussed the potential inflammatory mechanisms behind the associations between extreme temperatures and asthma exacerbation, and highlighted the regulatory role of immunological pathways and transient receptor potential ion channels in asthma triggered by extreme temperatures. CONCLUSIONS We concluded that both extreme heat and cold could significantly increase the risk of asthma. Additionally, we proposed a potential mechanistic framework, which is important for understanding the disease pathogenesis that uncovers the complex mechanisms of asthma triggered by extreme temperatures and protects the sensitive individuals from impacts of extreme weather events and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azhu Han
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Shizhou Deng
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jiarui Yu
- Shenzhen Health Development Research and Data Management Center, Shenzhen 518028, China, School of Arts and Sciences, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Yali Zhang
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Bin Jalaludin
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Cunrui Huang
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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Meskher H, Belhaouari SB, Thakur AK, Sathyamurthy R, Singh P, Khelfaoui I, Saidur R. A review about COVID-19 in the MENA region: environmental concerns and machine learning applications. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:82709-82728. [PMID: 36223015 PMCID: PMC9554385 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23392-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has delayed global economic growth, which has affected the economic life globally. On the one hand, numerous elements in the environment impact the transmission of this new coronavirus. Every country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) area has a different population density, air quality and contaminants, and water- and land-related conditions, all of which influence coronavirus transmission. The World Health Organization (WHO) has advocated fast evaluations to guide policymakers with timely evidence to respond to the situation. This review makes four unique contributions. One, many data about the transmission of the new coronavirus in various sorts of settings to provide clear answers to the current dispute over the virus's transmission were reviewed. Two, highlight the most significant application of machine learning to forecast and diagnose severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Three, our insights provide timely and accurate information along with compelling suggestions and methodical directions for investigators. Four, the present study provides decision-makers and community leaders with information on the effectiveness of environmental controls for COVID-19 dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hicham Meskher
- Division of Process Engineering, College of Applied Science, Kasdi-Merbah University, 30000, Ouargla, Algeria
| | - Samir Brahim Belhaouari
- Division of Information and Computing Technology, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 34110, Doha, Qatar
| | - Amrit Kumar Thakur
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Arasur, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641407, India
| | - Ravishankar Sathyamurthy
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Punit Singh
- Institute of Engineering and Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, GLA University Mathura, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, 281406, India
| | - Issam Khelfaoui
- School of Insurance and Economics, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China
| | - Rahman Saidur
- Research Centre for Nano-Materials and Energy Technology (RCNMET), School of Engineering and Technology, Sunway University, No. 5, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
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Can a Two-Dose Influenza Vaccine Regimen Better Protect Older Adults? An Agent-Based Modeling Study. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10111799. [DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10111799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Older adults (age ≥ 65) are at high risk of influenza morbidity and mortality. This study evaluated the impact of a hypothetical two-dose influenza vaccine regimen per season to reduce symptomatic flu cases by providing preseason (first dose) and mid-season (second dose) protection to offset waning vaccine effectiveness (VE). The Framework for Reconstructing Epidemiological Dynamics (FRED), an agent-based modeling platform, was used to compare typical one-dose vaccination to a two-dose vaccination strategy. Primary models incorporated waning VE of 10% per month and varied influenza season timing (December through March) to estimate cases and hospitalizations in older adults. Additional scenarios modeled reductions in uptake and VE of the second dose, and overall waning. In seasons with later peaks, two vaccine doses had the largest potential to reduce cases (14.4% with February peak, 18.7% with March peak) and hospitalizations (13.1% with February peak, 16.8% with March peak). Reductions in cases and hospitalizations still resulted but decreased when 30% of individuals failed to receive a second dose, second dose VE was reduced, or overall waning was reduced to 7% per month. Agent-based modeling indicates that two influenza vaccine doses could decrease cases and hospitalizations in older individuals. The highest impact occurred in the more frequently observed late-peak seasons. The beneficial impact of the two-dose regimen persisted despite model scenarios of reduced uptake of the second dose, decreased VE of the second dose, or overall VE waning.
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32
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Zhang S, Sun Z, He J, Li Z, Han L, Shang J, Hao Y. The influences of the East Asian Monsoon on the spatio-temporal pattern of seasonal influenza activity in China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 843:157024. [PMID: 35772553 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has extensively studied the seasonalities of human influenza infections and the effect of specific climatic factors in different regions. However, there is limited understanding of the influences of monsoons. This study applied generalized additive model with monthly surveillance data from mainland China to explore the influences of the East Asian Monsoon on the spatio-temporal pattern of seasonal influenza in China. The results suggested two influenza active periods in northern China and three active periods in southern China. The study found that the northerly advancement of East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) influences the summer influenza spatio-temporal patterns in both southern and northern China. At the interannual scale, the north-south converse effect of EASM on influenza activity is mainly due to the converse effect of EASM on humidity and precipitation. Within the annual scale, influenza activity in southern China gradually reaches its maximum during the summer exacerbated by the northerly advancement of EASM. Furthermore, the winter epidemic in China is related to the low temperature and humidity influenced by the East Asian Winter Monsoon (EAWM). Moreover, the active period in transition season is related partially to the large rapid temperature change influenced by the transition of EAWM and EASM. Despite the delayed onset and instability, the climatic condition influenced by the East Asian Monsoon is one of the potential key drivers of influenza activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuwen Zhang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Zhaobin Sun
- Institute of Urban Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100089, China.
| | - Juan He
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
| | - Ziming Li
- Environmental Meteorology Forecast Center of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100089, China; Institute of Urban Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100089, China
| | - Ling Han
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Centre for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Jing Shang
- Institute of Urban Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100089, China
| | - Yu Hao
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
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Petrova GV, Naumov YN, Naumova EN, Gorski J. Role of cross-reactivity in cellular immune targeting of influenza A M1 58-66 variant peptide epitopes. Front Immunol 2022; 13:956103. [PMID: 36211433 PMCID: PMC9539824 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.956103] [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: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The immunologic significance of cross-reactivity of TCR recognition of peptide:MHC complexes is still poorly understood. We have described TCR cross-reactivity in a system involving polyclonal CD8 T cell recognition of the well characterized influenza viral M158-66 epitope. While M158-66 is generally conserved between influenza A isolates, error-prone transcription generates stable variant RNA during infection which could act as novel epitopes. If packaged and viable, variant genomic RNA generates an influenza quasispecies. The stable RNA variants would generate a new transmissible epitope that can select a specific repertoire, which itself should have cross-reactive properties. We tested two candidate peptides in which Thr65 is changed to Ala (A65) or Ser (S65) using recall responses to identify responding T cell clonotypes. Both peptides generated large polyclonal T cell repertoires of their own with repertoire characteristics and cross-reactivity patterns like that observed for the M158-66 repertoire. Both substitutions could be present in viral genomes or mRNA at sufficient frequency during an infection to drive immunity. Peptides from the resulting protein would be a target for CD8 cells irrespective of virus viability or transmissibility. These data support the hypothesis that cross-reactivity is important for immunity against RNA virus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina V. Petrova
- The Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | | | - Elena N. Naumova
- Division of Nutrition Epidemiology and Data Science, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jack Gorski
- The Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
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34
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Lim DK, Kim JW, Kim JK. Effects of climatic factors on the prevalence of influenza virus infection in Cheonan, Korea. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:59052-59059. [PMID: 35381925 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20070-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Big data can be used to correlate diseases and climatic factors. The prevalence of influenza (flu) virus, accounting for a large proportion of respiratory infections, suggests that the effect of climate variables according to seasonal dynamics of influenza virus infections should be investigated. Here, trends in flu virus detection were analyzed using data from 9,010 tests performed between January 2012 and December 2018 at Dankook University Hospital, Cheonan, Korea. We compared the detection of the flu virus in Cheonan area and its association with climate change. The flu virus detection rate was 9.9% (894/9,010), and the detection rate was higher for flu virus A (FLUAV; 6.9%) than for flu virus B (FLUBV; 3.0%). Both FLUAV and FLUBV infections are considered an epidemic each year. We identified 43.1% (n = 385) and 35.0% (n = 313) infections in children aged < 10 years and adults aged > 60 years, respectively. The combination of these age groups encompassed 78.1% (n = 698/894) of the total data. Flu virus infections correlated with air temperature, relative humidity, vapor pressure, atmospheric pressure, particulate matter, and wind chill temperature (P < 0.001). However, the daily temperature range did not significantly correlate with the flu detection results. This is the first study to identify the relationship between long-term flu virus infection with temperature in the temperate region of Cheonan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Kyu Lim
- Department of Medical Laser, Dankook University Graduate School of Medicine, Chungnam, South Korea
| | - Jong Wan Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Chungnam, South Korea
| | - Jae Kyung Kim
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Dankook University, 119 Dandae-ro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungnam, 31116, South Korea.
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35
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Gavenčiak T, Monrad JT, Leech G, Sharma M, Mindermann S, Bhatt S, Brauner J, Kulveit J. Seasonal variation in SARS-CoV-2 transmission in temperate climates: A Bayesian modelling study in 143 European regions. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010435. [PMID: 36026483 PMCID: PMC9455844 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Although seasonal variation has a known influence on the transmission of several respiratory viral infections, its role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission remains unclear. While there is a sizable and growing literature on environmental drivers of COVID-19 transmission, recent reviews have highlighted conflicting and inconclusive findings. This indeterminacy partly owes to the fact that seasonal variation relates to viral transmission by a complicated web of causal pathways, including many interacting biological and behavioural factors. Since analyses of specific factors cannot determine the aggregate strength of seasonal forcing, we sidestep the challenge of disentangling various possible causal paths in favor of a holistic approach. We model seasonality as a sinusoidal variation in transmission and infer a single Bayesian estimate of the overall seasonal effect. By extending two state-of-the-art models of non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) effects and their datasets covering 143 regions in temperate Europe, we are able to adjust our estimates for the role of both NPIs and mobility patterns in reducing transmission. We find strong seasonal patterns, consistent with a reduction in the time-varying reproduction number R(t) (the expected number of new infections generated by an infectious individual at time t) of 42.1% (95% CI: 24.7%-53.4%) from the peak of winter to the peak of summer. These results imply that the seasonality of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is comparable in magnitude to the most effective individual NPIs but less than the combined effect of multiple interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Gavenčiak
- Centre for Theoretical Studies, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Joshua Teperowski Monrad
- Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gavin Leech
- Department of Computer Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Mrinank Sharma
- Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sören Mindermann
- Oxford Applied and Theoretical Machine Learning (OATML) Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Samir Bhatt
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jan Brauner
- Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Oxford Applied and Theoretical Machine Learning (OATML) Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Kulveit
- Centre for Theoretical Studies, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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36
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Gavenčiak T, Monrad JT, Leech G, Sharma M, Mindermann S, Bhatt S, Brauner J, Kulveit J. Seasonal variation in SARS-CoV-2 transmission in temperate climates: A Bayesian modelling study in 143 European regions. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010435. [PMID: 36026483 DOI: 10.1101/2021.06.10.21258647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Although seasonal variation has a known influence on the transmission of several respiratory viral infections, its role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission remains unclear. While there is a sizable and growing literature on environmental drivers of COVID-19 transmission, recent reviews have highlighted conflicting and inconclusive findings. This indeterminacy partly owes to the fact that seasonal variation relates to viral transmission by a complicated web of causal pathways, including many interacting biological and behavioural factors. Since analyses of specific factors cannot determine the aggregate strength of seasonal forcing, we sidestep the challenge of disentangling various possible causal paths in favor of a holistic approach. We model seasonality as a sinusoidal variation in transmission and infer a single Bayesian estimate of the overall seasonal effect. By extending two state-of-the-art models of non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) effects and their datasets covering 143 regions in temperate Europe, we are able to adjust our estimates for the role of both NPIs and mobility patterns in reducing transmission. We find strong seasonal patterns, consistent with a reduction in the time-varying reproduction number R(t) (the expected number of new infections generated by an infectious individual at time t) of 42.1% (95% CI: 24.7%-53.4%) from the peak of winter to the peak of summer. These results imply that the seasonality of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is comparable in magnitude to the most effective individual NPIs but less than the combined effect of multiple interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Gavenčiak
- Centre for Theoretical Studies, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Joshua Teperowski Monrad
- Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gavin Leech
- Department of Computer Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Mrinank Sharma
- Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sören Mindermann
- Oxford Applied and Theoretical Machine Learning (OATML) Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Samir Bhatt
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jan Brauner
- Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Oxford Applied and Theoretical Machine Learning (OATML) Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Kulveit
- Centre for Theoretical Studies, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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37
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Susceptibility to the Common Cold Virus is Associated with Day Length. iScience 2022; 25:104789. [PMID: 35982792 PMCID: PMC9379560 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104789] [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] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal rhythms are endogenous timing mechanisms that allow animals living at temperate latitudes to synchronize their physiology to the seasons. Human viral respiratory disease is prevalent in the winter at temperate latitudes, but the role of endogenous mechanisms in these recurring annual patterns is unclear. The Common Cold Project is a repository of data describing the experimental viral challenge of 1,337 participants across the seasons of the year. We report a secondary analysis of these data to investigate if susceptibility to the common cold is associated with day length. The majority of the participants (78%) showed signs of infection but only 32% developed clinical signs of disease, and the probability of infection was significantly higher in longer day lengths (summer), but the disease was more likely in short (winter) day lengths. The persistence of winter disease patterns in experimental conditions supports the role of endogenous seasonality in human susceptibility to viral infection. Outbreaks of viral respiratory disease recur in winter in the northern hemisphere In controlled experiments, common cold infection was more likely in summer Infection was more likely to progress to the development of cold in winter Innate seasonality of human immunity could affect the prevalence of the common cold
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38
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City-level impact of extreme temperatures and mortality in Latin America. Nat Med 2022; 28:1700-1705. [PMID: 35760859 PMCID: PMC9388372 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-022-01872-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Climate change and urbanization are rapidly increasing human exposure to extreme ambient temperatures, yet few studies have examined temperature and mortality in Latin America. We conducted a nonlinear, distributed-lag, longitudinal analysis of daily ambient temperatures and mortality among 326 Latin American cities between 2002 and 2015. We observed 15,431,532 deaths among ≈2.9 billion person-years of risk. The excess death fraction of total deaths was 0.67% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58-0.74%) for heat-related deaths and 5.09% (95% CI 4.64-5.47%) for cold-related deaths. The relative risk of death was 1.057 (95% CI 1.046-1.067%) per 1 °C higher temperature during extreme heat and 1.034 (95% CI 1.028-1.040%) per 1 °C lower temperature during extreme cold. In Latin American cities, a substantial proportion of deaths is attributable to nonoptimal ambient temperatures. Marginal increases in observed hot temperatures are associated with steep increases in mortality risk. These risks were strongest among older adults and for cardiovascular and respiratory deaths.
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39
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Olfactory Dysfunction in COVID-19: Pathology and Long-Term Implications for Brain Health. Trends Mol Med 2022; 28:781-794. [PMID: 35810128 PMCID: PMC9212891 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2022.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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40
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Lofgren E, Naumova EN, Gorski J, Naumov Y, Fefferman NH. How Drivers of Seasonality in Respiratory Infections May Impact Vaccine Strategy: A Case Study in How Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) May Help Us Solve One of Influenza's Biggest Challenges. Clin Infect Dis 2022; 75:S121-S129. [PMID: 35607766 PMCID: PMC9213832 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccines against seasonal infections like influenza offer a recurring testbed, encompassing challenges in design, implementation, and uptake to combat a both familiar and ever-shifting threat. One of the pervading mysteries of influenza epidemiology is what causes the distinctive seasonal outbreak pattern. Proposed theories each suggest different paths forward in being able to tailor precision vaccines and/or deploy them most effectively. One of the greatest challenges in contrasting and supporting these theories is, of course, that there is no means by which to actually test them. In this communication we revisit theories and explore how the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic might provide a unique opportunity to better understand the global circulation of respiratory infections. We discuss how vaccine strategies may be targeted and improved by both isolating drivers and understanding the immunological consequences of seasonality, and how these insights about influenza vaccines may generalize to vaccines for other seasonal respiratory infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Lofgren
- WSU Paul G. Allen School for Global Health Allen Center PO Box 647090 240 SE Ott Road Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Elena N. Naumova
- Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy Jaharis Family Center for Biomedical and Nutrition Sciences Tufts University 150 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Jack Gorski
- Blood Research Institute Versiti Milwaukee WI, 53226, USA
| | - Yuri Naumov
- Chief Science Officer Back Bay Group 10 Post Office Square – Suite 1300N Boston, MA 02109, USA
| | - Nina H. Fefferman
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis University of Tennessee 447 Hesler Biology Building Knoxville, TN, 37966, USA,Corresponding Author: Nina H. Fefferman
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41
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AG1478 Elicits a Novel Anti-Influenza Function via an EGFR-Independent, GBF1-Dependent Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105557. [PMID: 35628375 PMCID: PMC9145774 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Current options for preventing or treating influenza are still limited, and new treatments for influenza viral infection are urgently needed. In the present study, we serendipitously found that a small-molecule inhibitor (AG1478), previously used for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibition, demonstrated a potent activity against influenza both in vitro and in vivo. Surprisingly, the antiviral effect of AG1478 was not mediated by its EGFR inhibitory activity, as influenza virus was insensitive to EGFR blockade by other EGFR inhibitors or by siRNA knockdown of EGFR. Its antiviral activity was also interferon independent as demonstrated by a Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) knockout approach. Instead, AG1478 was found to target the Golgi-specific brefeldin A-resistance guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1 (GBF1)–ADP-ribosylation factor 1 (ARF1) system by reversibly inhibiting GBF1 activity and disrupting its Golgi-cytoplasmic trafficking. Compared to known GBF1 inhibitors, AG1478 demonstrated lower cellular toxicity and better preservation of Golgi structure. Furthermore, GBF1 was found to interact with a specific set of viral proteins including M1, NP, and PA. Additionally, the alternation of GBF1 distribution induced by AG1478 treatment disrupted these interactions. Because targeting host factors, instead of the viral component, imposes a higher barrier for developing resistance, GBF1 modulation may be an effective approach to treat influenza infection.
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Yin C, Zhao W, Pereira P. Meteorological factors' effects on COVID-19 show seasonality and spatiality in Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 208:112690. [PMID: 34999027 PMCID: PMC8734082 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.112690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The meteorological conditions may affect COVID-19 transmission. However, the roles of seasonality and macro-climate are still contentious due to the limited time series for early-stage studies. We studied meteorological factors' effects on COVID-19 transmission in Brazil from February 25 to November 15, 2020. We aimed to explore whether this impact showed seasonal characteristics and spatial variations related to the macro-climate. We applied two-way fixed-effect models to identify the effects of meteorological factors on COVID-19 transmission and used spatial analysis to explore their spatial-temporal characteristics with a relatively long-time span. The results showed that cold, dry and windless conditions aggravated COVID-19 transmission. The daily average temperature, humidity, and wind speed negatively affected the daily new cases. Humidity and temperature played a dominant role in this process. For the time series, the influences of meteorological conditions on COVID-19 had a periodic fluctuation of 3-4 months (in line with the seasons in Brazil). The turning points of this fluctuation occurred at the turn of seasons. Spatially, the negative effects of temperature and humidity on COVID-19 transmission clustered in the northeastern and central parts of Brazil. This is consistent with the range of arid climate types. Overall, the seasonality and similar climate types should be considered to estimate the spatial-temporal COVID-19 patterns. Winter is a critical time to be alert for COVID-19, especially in the northern part of Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caichun Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Wenwu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Paulo Pereira
- Environmental Management Center, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, 08303, Lithuania
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43
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Influenza Viruses and Vaccines: The Role of Vaccine Effectiveness Studies for Evaluation of the Benefits of Influenza Vaccines. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10050714. [PMID: 35632470 PMCID: PMC9143275 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10050714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Influenza is a vaccine preventable disease and vaccination remains the most effective method of controlling the morbidity and mortality of seasonal influenza, especially with respect to risk groups. To date, three types of influenza vaccines have been licensed: inactivated, live-attenuated, and recombinant haemagglutinin vaccines. Effectiveness studies allow an assessment of the positive effects of influenza vaccines in the field. The effectiveness of current influenza is suboptimal, being estimated as 40% to 60% when the vaccines strains are antigenically well-matched with the circulating viruses. This review focuses on influenza viruses and vaccines and the role of vaccine effectiveness studies for evaluating the benefits of influenza vaccines. Overall, influenza vaccines are effective against morbidity and mortality in all age and risk groups, especially in young children and older adults. However, the effectiveness is dependent on several factors such as the age of vaccinees, the match between the strain included in the vaccine composition and the circulating virus, egg-adaptations occurring during the production process, and the subject’s history of previous vaccination.
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Clinical and Phylogenetic Influenza Dynamics for the 2019-20 Season in the Global Influenza Hospital Surveillance Network (GIHSN) – pilot study. J Clin Virol 2022; 152:105184. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2022.105184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Csajbók Z, Kagstrom A, Cermakova P. Season of birth has no effect on symptoms of depression and anxiety in older adults. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6823. [PMID: 35474329 PMCID: PMC9042812 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10892-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
There remains a lack of conclusive evidence as to the merit of season of birth as a predictor of mental illness across contexts. We studied 72,370 individuals (55% women; mean age 66) from the Survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Depressive symptoms were assessed with EURO-D scale and symptoms of anxiety with modified Beck Anxiety Inventory. Multilevel modeling was used to assess the association of season of birth as well as month of birth with symptoms of depression and anxiety, by sex and region. Adjusting for sex and age, month of birth explained only 0.01% to 0.07% of anxiety and depressive symptoms with non-significant improvement in the overall models; using season of birth instead of month of birth added 0.00% to 0.04% of explained variance. When stratified by sex and European region, age explained 0.23% to 5.19% of anxiety and depressive symptoms; the addition of month of birth or season of birth improved the models by negligible amount. Season of birth and month of birth are not reliable predictors of anxiety and depression across the life course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsófia Csajbók
- Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University Prague, V Úvalu 84, 15006, Prague 5, Czechia
- Faculty of Humanities, Charles University Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Anna Kagstrom
- Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University Prague, V Úvalu 84, 15006, Prague 5, Czechia
- National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czechia
| | - Pavla Cermakova
- Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University Prague, V Úvalu 84, 15006, Prague 5, Czechia.
- National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czechia.
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Ali ST, Cowling BJ, Wong JY, Chen D, Shan S, Lau EHY, He D, Tian L, Li Z, Wu P. Influenza seasonality and its environmental driving factors in mainland China and Hong Kong. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 818:151724. [PMID: 34800462 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Influenza epidemics occur during winter in temperate zones, but have less regular seasonality in the subtropics and tropics. Here we quantified the role of environmental drivers of influenza seasonality in temperate and subtropical China. METHODS We used weekly surveillance data on influenza virus activity in mainland China and Hong Kong from 2005 through 2016. We estimated the transmissibility via the instantaneous reproduction number (Rt), a real-time measure of transmissibility, and examined its relationship with different climactic drivers and allowed for the timing of school holidays and the decline in susceptibility in the population as an epidemic progressed. We developed a multivariable regression model for Rt to quantify the contribution of various potential environmental drivers of transmission. FINDINGS We found that absolute humidity is a potential driver of influenza seasonality and had a U-shaped association with transmissibility and hence can predict the pattern of influenza virus transmission across different climate zones. Absolute humidity was able to explain up to 15% of the variance in Rt, and was a stronger predictor of Rt across the latitudes. Other climatic drivers including mean daily temperature explained up to 13% of variance in Rt and limited to the locations where the indoor measures of these factors have better indicators of outdoor measures. The non-climatic driver, holiday-related school closures could explain up to 7% of variance in Rt. INTERPRETATION A U-shaped association of absolute humidity with influenza transmissibility was able to predict seasonal patterns of influenza virus epidemics in temperate and subtropical locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Taslim Ali
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Benjamin J Cowling
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
| | - Jessica Y Wong
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Dongxuan Chen
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Songwei Shan
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Eric H Y Lau
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Daihai He
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Linwei Tian
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Zhongjie Li
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Wu
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
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D'Amico F, Marmiere M, Righetti B, Scquizzato T, Zangrillo A, Puglisi R, Landoni G. COVID-19 seasonality in temperate countries. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 206:112614. [PMID: 34953888 PMCID: PMC8692239 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION While the beneficial effect of vaccination, restrictive measures, and social distancing in reducing mortality due to SARS-CoV-2 is intuitive and taken for granted, seasonality (predictable fluctuation or pattern that recurs or repeats over a one-year period) is still poorly understood and insufficiently taken into consideration. We aimed to examine SARS-CoV-2 seasonality in countries with temperate climate. METHODS We identified countries with temperate climate and extracted average country temperature data from the National Center for Environmental information and from the Climate Change Knowledge Portal. We obtained mortality and vaccination rates from an open access database. We used the stringency index derived from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker to quantify restriction policies. We used Spearman's and rank-correlation non-parametric test coefficients to investigate the association between COVID-19 mortality and temperature values. We employed multivariate regression models to analyze how containment measures, vaccinations, and monthly temperatures affected COVID-19 mortality rates. RESULTS The time series for daily deaths per million inhabitants and average monthly temperatures of European countries and US states with a temperate climate had a negative correlation (p < 0.0001 for all countries, 0.40 < R < 0.86). When running multivariate regression models with country fixed effects, we noted that mortality rates were significantly lower when temperature were higher. Interestingly, when adding an interaction term between monthly temperatures and vaccination rates, we found that as monthly temperatures dropped, the effect of the vaccination campaign on mortality was larger than at higher temperatures. DISCUSSION Deaths attributed to SARS-CoV-2 decreased during the summer period in temperate countries. We found that the effect of vaccination rates on mortality was stronger when temperatures were lower. Stakeholders should consider seasonality in managing SARS-CoV-2 and future pandemics to minimize mortality, limit the pressure on hospitals and intensive care units while maintaining economic and social activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo D'Amico
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Marilena Marmiere
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Beatrice Righetti
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Tommaso Scquizzato
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Faculty of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Zangrillo
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Faculty of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Riccardo Puglisi
- Department of Social and Political Sciences, Università Degli Studi Di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Landoni
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Faculty of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
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Association of Warmer Weather and Infectious Complications Following Transrectal Ultrasound-Guided Prostate Biopsy. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12030446. [PMID: 35330445 PMCID: PMC8954785 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12030446] [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] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The seasonal and meteorological factors in predicting infections after urological interventions have not been systematically evaluated. This study aimed to determine the seasonality and the effects of the weather on the risk and severity of infectious complications (IC) after a transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUS-Bx). Using retrospectively collected data at the tertiary care hospital in Taiwan, we investigated the seasonal and meteorological differences in IC after TRUS-Bx. The IC included urinary tract infection (UTI), sepsis, and a positive culture finding (PCF). The severity was assessed on the basis of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events grading system. The prevalences of the infectious complications (UTI, sepsis, PCF and grade ≥ 3 IC) were significantly higher in the summer than in the winter. Monthly temperature and average humidity were significant factors for IC. After adjusting the demographic factors, multivariate regression revealed that UTI, sepsis, PCF, and grade ≥ 3 IC increased by 12.1%, 16.2%, 21.3%, and 18.6% for every 1 °C increase in the monthly average temperature, respectively (UTI: p = 0.010; sepsis: p = 0.046; PCF: p = 0.037; grade ≥ 3 IC: p = 0.021). In conclusion, the development and severity of IC after TRUS-Bx had significant seasonality. These were dose-dependently associated with warmer weather. Infectious signs after TRUS-Bx should be monitored more closely and actively during warm weather.
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Cai J, Wang B, Song T, Zhang P, Long R, Liu X, Deng J, Chen J. Autopsy results from a COVID-19 patient treated in a tropical area, and a review of the epidemiological history. Forensic Sci Res 2022; 7:560-565. [PMID: 36353326 PMCID: PMC9639529 DOI: 10.1080/20961790.2021.1978173] [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: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an urgent need to produce accurate and sensitive tests. However, there have been instances where a positive nucleic acid test turns negative after treatment, and then positive again. This case report describes such an instance from the tropical region of Hainan, China. The patient was a 61-year-old female who went to Hainan on vacation from Wuhan during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Symptoms appeared 9 d after arriving in Hainan, and it was confirmed that the nucleic acid test was positive after 4 repeats. Her condition declined rapidly, her heart stopped beating, and she was admitted in a coma to the ICU. After treatment, the SARS-CoV-2 virus nucleic acid test of several nasopharyngeal swabs were negative, and tests on whole blood, anal swabs, and urine were also negative. Later, however, nucleic acid tests on a lower respiratory tract sputum swab and lower respiratory tract lavage fluid were positive. An autopsy examination was carried out 12 h after her death, and multi-organ secretions were extracted for nucleic acid testing. The SARS-CoV-2 virus nucleic acid was only detected in the swabs from the end of the bronchus, which was confirmed by the visualization of the coronavirus by electron microscopy. Autopsy confirmed that the damage was mainly concentrated in the lungs and immune organs and tissues throughout the body. Epidemiology indicated that none of the people she came into contact with after arriving in Hainan, including close contacts, were infected. This is in sharp contrast to the highly contagious virus in Wuhan in the temperate zone during the same period. This case report indicates: (1) The high temperatures in tropical areas may have an impact on the spread and harm of COVID-19, and (2) The reason why nucleic acid testing for COVID-19 was initially negative and then positive after treatment may be related to the survival of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in deep lung tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Cai
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Hainan Tropical Forensic Engineering Research Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Hainan Tropical Forensic Engineering Research Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Tao Song
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Hainan Tropical Forensic Engineering Research Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Hainan Tropical Forensic Engineering Research Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Ren Long
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Hainan Tropical Forensic Engineering Research Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiaoran Liu
- Key Laboratory of Emergency and Trauma of Ministry of Education, Emergency and Trauma College, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Jianqiang Deng
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Hainan Tropical Forensic Engineering Research Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Jianhua Chen
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Hainan Tropical Forensic Engineering Research Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
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Iqbal A, Haq W, Mahmood T, Raza SH. Effect of meteorological factors on the COVID-19 cases: a case study related to three major cities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:21811-21825. [PMID: 34767172 PMCID: PMC8586838 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17268-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic affected the world through its ability to cause widespread infection. The Middle East including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has also been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic like the rest of the world. This study aims to examine the relationships between meteorological factors and COVID-19 case counts in three cities of the KSA. The distribution of the COVID-19 case counts was observed for all three cities followed by cross-correlation analysis which was carried out to estimate the lag effects of meteorological factors on COVID-19 case counts. Moreover, the Poisson model and negative binomial (NB) model with their zero-inflated versions (i.e., ZIP and ZINB) were fitted to estimate city-specific impacts of weather variables on confirmed case counts, and the best model is evaluated by comparative analysis for each city. We found significant associations between meteorological factors and COVID-19 case counts in three cities of KSA. We also perceived that the ZINB model was the best fitted for COVID-19 case counts. In this case study, temperature, humidity, and wind speed were the factors that affected COVID-19 case counts. The results can be used to make policies to overcome this pandemic situation in the future such as deploying more resources through testing and tracking in such areas where we observe significantly higher wind speed or higher humidity. Moreover, the selected models can be used for predicting the probability of COVID-19 incidence across various regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anam Iqbal
- Department of Statistics, Government Graduate College for Women, Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Wajiha Haq
- Department of Economics, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, H-12, Pakistan.
| | - Tahir Mahmood
- Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Smart Mobility & Logistics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Syed Hassan Raza
- School of Economics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
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