AN INDIVIDUAL-BASED NETWORKED MODEL WITH PROBABILISTIC RELOCATION OF PEOPLE AND VECTORS AMONG LOCATIONS FOR SIMULATING THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES

2010 ◽  
Vol 18 (04) ◽  
pp. 847-866 ◽  
Author(s):  
PIERPAOLO VITTORINI ◽  
ANTONELLA VILLANI ◽  
FERDINANDO DI ORIO
Keyword(s):  
Computer Simulations ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Distribution Functions ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Graph Modeling ◽  
First Case ◽  
Vector Borne

Eubank et al. propose to study the spread of infectious disease in large urban environments using dynamic bipartite graph modeling the contact pattern, and computer simulations to estimate the evolution of epidemics. Eubank's approach requires a detailed knowledge of individuals, daily routine. In our work we would generalize the model by introducing a stochastic relocation of people and vectors among locations, thanks to distribution functions. Computer simulations are used to produce the infection and death processes. Finally, the paper presents two case studies. The first case study emphasizes the effect of using probabilistic relocation in a particular social network, while the second discusses how vector-borne diseases could be taken into account.

scholarly journals Mapping the basic reproduction number (R0) for vector-borne diseases: A case study on bluetongue virus

Epidemics ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 153-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.A. Hartemink ◽  
B.V. Purse ◽  
R. Meiswinkel ◽  
H.E. Brown ◽  
A. de Koeijer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Basic Reproduction Number ◽  
Bluetongue Virus ◽  
Reproduction Number ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
The Basic Reproduction Number

scholarly journals Leishmaniasis and Climate Change—Case Study: Argentina

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar Daniel Salomón ◽  
María Gabriela Quintana ◽  
Andrea Verónica Mastrángelo ◽  
María Soledad Fernández
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Scale Models ◽  
Vector Borne

Vector-borne diseases closely associated with the environment, such as leishmaniases, have been a usual argument about the deleterious impact of climate change on public health. From the biological point of view interaction of different variables has different and even conflicting effects on the survival of vectors and the probability transmission of pathogens. The results on ecoepidemiology of leishmaniasis in Argentina related to climate variables at different scales of space and time are presented. These studies showed that the changes in transmission due to change or increase in frequency and intensity of climatic instability were expressed through changes in the probability of vector-human reservoir effective contacts. These changes of contact in turn are modulated by both direct effects on the biology and ecology of the organisms involved, as by perceptions and changes in the behavior of the human communities at risk. Therefore, from the perspective of public health and state policy, and taking into account the current nonlinear increased velocity of climate change, we concluded that discussing the uncertainties of large-scale models will have lower impact than to develop-validate mitigation strategies to be operative at local level, and compatibles with sustainable development, conservation biodiversity, and respect for cultural diversity.

Identifying environmental drivers of insect phenology across space and time: Culicoides in Scotland as a case study

2012 ◽  
Vol 103 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.R. Searle ◽  
A. Blackwell ◽  
D. Falconer ◽  
M. Sullivan ◽  
A. Butler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Abundance ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Patterns ◽  
Biting Midges ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
Analytical Tools ◽  
Insect Phenology

AbstractInterpreting spatial patterns in the abundance of species over time is a fundamental cornerstone of ecological research. For many species, this type of analysis is hampered by datasets that contain a large proportion of zeros, and data that are overdispersed and spatially autocorrelated. This is particularly true for insects, for which abundance data can fluctuate from zero to many thousands in the space of weeks. Increasingly, an understanding of the ways in which environmental variation drives spatial and temporal patterns in the distribution, abundance and phenology of insects is required for management of pests and vector-borne diseases. In this study, we combine the use of smoothing techniques and generalised linear mixed models to relate environmental drivers to key phenological patterns of two species of biting midges, Culicoides pulicaris and C. impunctatus, of which C. pulicaris has been implicated in transmission of bluetongue in Europe. In so doing, we demonstrate analytical tools for linking the phenology of species with key environmental drivers, despite using a relatively small dataset containing overdispersed and zero-inflated data. We demonstrate the importance of landcover and climatic variables in determining the seasonal abundance of these two vector species, and highlight the need for more empirical data on the effects of temperature and precipitation on the life history traits of palearctic Culicoides spp. in Europe.

scholarly journals Preprint: Mobility surveys beyond stated preference: Introducing MyTrips, an SP-off-RP survey tool, and results of two case studies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Rudloff ◽  
Markus Straub
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Stated Preference ◽  
Hypothetical Bias ◽  
Rural Setting ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Actual Behavior ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
First Case

When introducing new mobility offers or measures to influence traffic, stated preference (SP) surveys are often used to assess their impact. In SP surveys respondents do not answer questions about their actual behavior but about hypothetical settings. Therefore, answers are often biased. To minimise this hypothetical bias, so-called stated preference-off-revealed preference (SP-off-RP)surveys were developed. They base SP questions on respondents’ revealedbehavior and place unknown scenarios in a familiar context. Until now this method was applied mostly to scenarios investigating the willingness to pay. The application to more complex mode or route choice problems, which require the calculation of routes, has not yet been done. In this paper, the MyTrips survey tool for the collection of SP-off-RP data based on respondents’ actual mobility behavior is presented. SP questions are based on alternatives to typical routes of respondents, which are calculated on the fly with an intermodal router. MyTrips includes a larger survey and collectsmobility diaries for one day representing respondents’ daily routine, calculates alternative routes and creates SP questions based on a Bayesian optimal design. Results from two case studies investigating behavior changes are presented. The first case study investigated the extension of a subway line in Vienna,Austria. The second case study focused on the introduction of micro transit vehicles in a rural setting, replacing infrequent bus services. Results of the two case studies show a difference in response behaviour between SP and RP settings and suggest a reduction of hypothetical bias. For the latter study a Latent Class SP-off-RP model was estimated. It shows that availability and accessibility of public transport are the main influence on the willingness to use it independent of other household characteristics.

scholarly journals The use of islands and cluster-randomized trials to investigate vector control interventions: a case study on the Bijagós archipelago, Guinea-Bissau

2020 ◽  
Vol 376 (1818) ◽  
pp. 20190807 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert T. Jones ◽  
Elizabeth Pretorius ◽  
Thomas H. Ant ◽  
John Bradley ◽  
Anna Last ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vector Control ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Randomized Trials ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Cluster Randomized Trials ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Guinea Bissau ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
Cluster Randomized

Vector-borne diseases threaten the health of populations around the world. While key interventions continue to provide protection from vectors, there remains a need to develop and test new vector control tools. Cluster-randomized trials, in which the intervention or control is randomly allocated to clusters, are commonly selected for such evaluations, but their design must carefully consider cluster size and cluster separation, as well as the movement of people and vectors, to ensure sufficient statistical power and avoid contamination of results. Island settings present an opportunity to conduct these studies. Here, we explore the benefits and challenges of conducting intervention studies on islands and introduce the Bijagós archipelago of Guinea-Bissau as a potential study site for interventions intended to control vector-borne diseases. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Novel control strategies for mosquito-borne diseases'.

Development of Interdisciplinary Problem-Solving Strategies through Games and Computer Simulations

2013 ◽  
pp. 268-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Candido Cabo ◽  
Reneta D. Lansiquot
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Computer Simulations ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Computer Games ◽  
College Education ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Narrative Skills ◽  
First Case ◽  
Scale Levels

The purpose of this chapter is to provide two case studies examining how games and computer simulations can be used to link different disciplines in the setting of a college education for underrepresented, urban undergraduate students. The first case study illustrates how researchers from different disciplines collaborate to advance our understanding of the physiology of normal and diseased hearts. Computer simulations provide a link between an understanding of biological systems at different scale levels, from molecules to organs, making it possible to create a superior systemic (non-reductionist) representation. Problems in science and engineering require interdisciplinary thinking, so it is crucial that the next generation of researchers/professionals develop an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving. The second case study shows how computer games can be used to develop programming problem-solving and narrative skills by linking English composition with computer programming courses.

Trends, priorities and policy directions in the control of vector-borne diseases in urban environments

1994 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
JO LINES ◽  
TRUDY HARPHAM ◽  
COLIN LEAKE ◽  
CHRIS SCHOFIELD
Keyword(s):  
Urban Environments ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Vector Borne

scholarly journals Climate change and the emergence of vector-borne diseases in Europe: case study of dengue fever

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maha Bouzid ◽  
Felipe J Colón-González ◽  
Tobias Lung ◽  
Iain R Lake ◽  
Paul R Hunter
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Dengue Fever ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Vector Borne

scholarly journals Canine Dirofilariasis In Panamá. First Case Report.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Candanedo Chacón ◽  
Patricia Guizardi Correia de Candanedo.
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Artery ◽  
Right Ventricle ◽  
San Lorenzo ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Worldwide Distribution ◽  
First Case ◽  
Chronic Myocarditis ◽  
Heartworm Disease ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
The Right

Abstract Background. The living beings have suffered with the climate changes that are affecting the planet in the latest decades. This has allowed the development of many vectors with the correspondent increase in their vector-borne diseases (VBD). Panama is a country that historically has suffered with the effects of the VBD even before the Panama Canal construction. D.immitis is a worldwide distribution parasite found in most American countries, but heretofore it was not recorded on the Panamanian isthmus. Methods. Here we report a male, 5.5 years old dog in the Boca Chica region, San Lorenzo district, Chiriqui province, Rep of Panama. The canine arrived with serious cardiopulmonary symptoms, convulsions and strong arrhythmia. We examined the dog´s blood cells and found hemoglobin levels in 2.7 g/dL, and a quick snap quattro test showing a positive result for D. immitis. Because of the gravity of the symptoms and the evident suffering of the patient, the owners requested that the dog be euthanized. We proceeded with the euthanasia and removed the heart. It was fixed in formaldehyde and sent for an anatomic histopathology study. Results. Thirty whole adult nematodes were found, 14 females and 16 males, measuring between 20.2 cm and 12.4cm long on average, respectively, located on the pericardium, pulmonary artery and right ventricle and atrium. The anatomy histophatology results shows chronic myocarditis, chronic pericarditis, and enlargement of the right ventricle. However, the pulmonary artery-vein endothelium, and inner space seems to be normal. Inflammatory infiltrate was found on myocardium compound of lymphocytes and macrophages, characterizing the myocarditis. Monocytes/macrophages infiltrate was found on the pericardium at the place where the specimen was collected characterizing the pericarditis. Conclusions. We can conclude, starting with the observed case, that D. immitis epidemiological research is necessary in Panama to ascertain the real prevalence and pathogenesis of the nematode in this country, to identify the vectors involved, the damage to dogs, the prevalence in wild animals, and the incidence of lesions on humans. Studies are indicated to identify Wolbachia sp bacteria on the nematode, clarifying this bacteria´s participation in the pathogenesis of heartworm disease.

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