Malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis (TB) collectively account for several million deaths each year, with all three ranking among the top ten killers in low-income countries. Despite being caused by very different organisms, malaria, HIV, and TB present a suite of challenges for mathematical modellers that are particularly pronounced in these infections, but represent general problems in infectious disease modelling, and highlight many of the challenges described throughout this issue. Here, we describe some of the unifying challenges that arise in modelling malaria, HIV, and TB, including variation in dynamics within the host, diversity in the pathogen, and heterogeneity in human contact networks and behaviour. Through the lens of these three pathogens, we provide specific examples of the other challenges in this issue and discuss their implications for informing public health efforts.
Download full text (PDF): Challenges in Modelling Infectious Disease Dynamics
Authors:
Lauren M. Childsa, b, Nadia N. Abuelezamb, Christopher Dyec, Sunetra Guptad, Megan B. Murrayb, e, Brian G. Williamsf, g, Caroline O. Buckeea, b, ,
a Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, United States
b Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, United States
c Office of the Director General, World Health Organization, Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland
d Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, United Kingdom
e Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, United States
f South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis, Stellenbosch, South Africa
g Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Received 20 February 2014, Revised 9 February 2015, Accepted 9 February 2015, Available online 16 February 2015
Source:
Epidemics, Volume 10, March 2015, Pages 102–107
- doi:10.1016/j.epidem.2015.02.002
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