scholarly journals The attainment of herd immunity with a reducing risk of contact infection in modelling 

Author(s):  
Kian Boon Law ◽  
Kalaiarasu M Peariasamy ◽  
Hishamshah Ibrahim ◽  
Noor Hisham Abdullah

Abstract The risk of contact infection among susceptible individuals in a randomly mixed population can be reduced by the presence of immune individuals and this principle forms the fundamental of herd immunity. The conventional susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) model features an infection-induced herd immunity model, but does not include the reducing risk of contact infection among susceptible individuals in the transmission model, therefore tends to overestimate the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. Here we show that the reducing risk of contact infection among susceptible individuals can be achieved by incorporating the proportion of susceptible individuals (model A) or the inverse of proportion of recovered individuals (model B) in the force of infection of the SIR model. We numerically simulated the conventional SIR model and both new SIR models A and B under the exact condition with a basic reproduction number of 3·0. Prior to the numerical simulation, the threshold for the eradication of infectious disease through herd immunity was expected to be 0·667 (66·7%) for all three models. All three models performed likewise at the initial stage of disease transmission. In the conventional SIR model, the infectious disease subsided when 94·0 % of the population had been infected and recovered, way above the expected threshold for eradication and control of the infectious disease. Both models A and B simulated the infectious disease to diminish when 66·7% and 75·6% of the population had been infected, showing herd immunity might protect more susceptible individuals from the infectious disease as compared to the projection generated by the conventional SIR. Our study shows that model A provides a better framework for modelling herd immunity through vaccination, while model B provides a better framework for modelling herd immunity through infection. Both models overcome the insufficiency of the conventional SIR model in attaining the effect of herd immunity in modelling outputs, which is important and relevant for modelling infectious disease, such as the COVID-19 in a randomly mixed population.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kian Boon Law ◽  
Kalaiarasu M Peariasamy ◽  
Hishamshah Ibrahim ◽  
Noor Hisham Abdullah

Abstract The risk of contact infection among susceptible individuals in a randomly mixed population can be reduced by the presence of immune individuals and this concept is referred to as herd immunity1–3. The conventional susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) model does not feature a reduced risk of susceptible individuals in the transmission dynamics of infectious disease, therefore violates the fundamental of herd immunity4. Here we show that the reduced risk of contact infection among susceptible individuals in the SIR model can be attained by incorporating the proportion of susceptible individuals (model A) or the inverse of proportion of recovered individuals (model B) in the force of infection of the SIR model. We simulated the conventional SIR model and both new SIR models under the exact condition with a basic reproduction ratio of 3.0 and an expected herd immunity threshold of 0.667 (66.7%). All three models performed likewise at the initial stage of an epidemic. In the conventional SIR model, the epidemic continued until 94.0 % of the population had been infected and recovered, way above the threshold for eradication and control of the epidemic. Both models A and B simulated the epidemic waning when 66.7% and 75.6% of the population had been infected, as a result of the herd effect. As a result, model A provides a better framework for modelling vaccine-induced herd or population immunity, while model B provides a better framework for modelling infection-induced herd or population immunity. Our results demonstrate how the new modelling framework overcomes the drawback of the conventional SIR model and attain the effect of herd immunity in modelling outputs, which is important for modelling infectious disease in a randomly mixed population, especially for the COVID-19 pandemic.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kian Boon Law ◽  
Kalaiarasu M. Peariasamy ◽  
Hishamshah Mohd. Ibrahim ◽  
Noor Hisham Abdullah

Abstract Background The conventional susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) model tends to overestimate the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases and ends up with total infections and total immunized population exceeding the threshold required for control and eradication of infectious diseases. The study aims to overcome the limitation by allowing the transmission rate of infectious disease to decline along with the reducing risk of contact infection. Methods Two new SIR models were developed to mimic the declining transmission rate of infectious diseases at different stages of transmission. Model A mimicked the declining transmission rate along with the reducing risk of transmission following infection, while Model B mimicked the declining transmission rate following recovery. Then, the conventional SIR model, Model A and Model B were used to simulate an infectious disease with a basic reproduction number (r0) of 3.0 and a herd immunity threshold (HIT) of 0.667 with and without vaccination. The infectious disease was expected to be controlled or eradicated when the total immunized population either through infection or vaccination reached the level predicted by the HIT. Outcomes of simulations were assessed at the time when the total immunized population reached the level predicted by the HIT, and at the end of simulations. Findings All three models performed likewise at the beginning of the transmission when sizes of infectious and recovered were relatively small as compared with the population size. The infectious disease modelled using the conventional SIR model appeared completely out of control even when the HIT was achieved in all scenarios with and without vaccination. The infectious disease modelled using Model A appeared to be controlled at the level predicted by the HIT in all scenarios with and without vaccination. Model B projected the infectious disease to be controlled at the level predicted by the HIT only at high vaccination rates. At lower vaccination rates or without vaccination, the level at which the infectious disease was controlled cannot be accurately predicted by the HIT. Conclusion Transmission dynamics of infectious diseases with herd immunity can accurately be modelled by allowing the transmission rate of infectious disease to decline along with the combined risk of contact infection. Model B provides a more credible framework for modelling infectious diseases with herd immunity in a randomly mixed population.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kian Boon Law ◽  
Kalaiarasu M Peariasamy ◽  
Hishamshah Ibrahim ◽  
Noor Hisham Abdullah

Abstract Background The conventional susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) model tends to overestimate transmission dynamics of infectious diseases and ends up with total infections exceeding the threshold required for control and eradication of infectious diseases. The study aims to overcome the limitation by allowing the transmission rate of infectious disease to decline along with the reducing risk of contact infection. MethodsTwo new SIR models were developed to mimic the declining transmission rate of infectious diseases at different stages of transmission. Model A mimicked the declining transmission rate along with the reducing risk of transmission following infection, while Model B mimicked the declining transmission rate following recovery. Then, the conventional SIR model, Model A and Model B were used to simulate an infectious disease with a basic reproduction number (r0) of 3.0 and a herd immunity threshold (HIT) of 0.667 with and without vaccination. The infectious disease was expected to be controlled or eradicated when the total immunized population either through infection or vaccination reached the level predicted by the HIT. Outcomes of simulations were assessed at the time when the total immunized population reached the level predicted by the HIT, and at the end of simulations.Findings All three models performed likewise at the beginning of transmission when sizes of infectious and recovered were relatively small as compared with the population size. The infectious disease modelled using the conventional SIR model appeared completely out of control even when the HIT was achieved in all scenarios with and without vaccination. The infectious disease modelled using Model A appeared to be controlled at the level predicted by the HIT in all scenarios with and without vaccination. Model B projected the infectious disease to be controlled at the level predicted by the HIT only at high vaccination rates. At lower vaccination rates or without vaccination, the level at which the infectious disease was controlled cannot be accurately predicted by the HIT. ConclusionTransmission dynamics of infectious diseases with herd immunity can accurately be modelled by allowing the transmission rate of infectious disease to decline along with the combined risk of contact infection. Model B provides a more realistic framework for modelling infectious diseases with herd immunity in a randomly mixed population.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kian Boon Law ◽  
Kalaiarasu M Peariasamy ◽  
Hishamshah Ibrahim ◽  
Noor Hisham Abdullah

Abstract Introduction: The risk of contact infection among susceptible individuals in a randomly mixed population can be reduced by the presence of immune individuals and this concept is referred to as herd immunity. Although herd immunity is observed in vaccinated populations for some infectious diseases, it has never been truly attained in compartmental models such as the susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) model. This paper introduces a new SIR framework to overcome the limitation of the conventional SIR model in attaining herd immunity.Methods: Two SIR models were newly developed based on the reduced risk of contact infection. The first model A assumes that the risk of contact infection reduces as soon as susceptible individuals are infected and move from class S(t) to I(t), therefore incorporating prevalence of both infectious and susceptible individuals into its force of infection. The second model B assumes the risk of contact infection would reduce after infected individuals have recovered from infection and move from class I(t) to R(t), therefore incorporating the prevalence of infectious and the inverse of prevalence of recovered individuals into its force of infection. Then, numerical simulations were applied to obtain approximate solutions for all three conventional SIR model, new SIR model A and model B for comparison under exact and arbitrary conditions with β = 0.3 and σ = 0.1 to mimic the infection dynamics with basic reproduction ratio (r0) of 3.0 and herd immunity threshold (HIT) of 0.667 (66.7%).Results and discussion: All three models performed likewise at the initial stage of the epidemic. The conventional SIR model simulated the epidemic diminishing when 94.0% of the population had been infected and recovered, way above its HIT. Model A simulated the epidemic waning when 66.7% of the population had been infected and recovered, in line with its HIT. However, the model conceptualized herd immunity incorrectly. Model B simulated the epidemic waning at 75.6%, slightly above its HIT and was more in line with the fundamental of herd immunity. The difference between model A and model B can be attributed to the proportion of infectious individuals, and this would increase in infectious disease with high transmissibility. The threshold theorem derived based on r0 may not be sufficient for optimal control and eradication of infectious disease with high transmissibility like the COVID-19.Conclusion: The newly developed SIR model that includes the inverse of proportion of recovered individuals into its force of infection is more accurate and credible for modelling infection with high transmissibility or vaccine-induced herd immunity in a randomly mixed population, especially in COVID-19.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kian Boon Law ◽  
Kalaiarasu M Peariasamy ◽  
Hishamshah Ibrahim ◽  
Noor Hisham Abdullah

Abstract Introduction: The risk of contact infection among susceptible individuals in a randomly mixed population can be reduced by the presence of immune individuals and this concept is referred as herd immunity. Although herd immunity is observed in vaccinated population for some infectious diseases, it has never been truly attained in compartmental models such as the susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) model. This paper introduces a new SIR framework to overcome the limitation of the conventional SIR model in attaining herd immunity.Methods: Two SIR models were newly developed based on the reduced risk of contact infection. The first model A assumes that the risk of contact infection reduces as soon as susceptible individuals are infected and move from class S(t) to I(t), therefore incorporating prevalence of both infectious and susceptible individuals into its force of infection. The second model B assumes the risk of contact infection would reduce after infected individuals have recovered from infection and move from class I(t) to R(t), therefore incorporating the prevalence of infectious and the inverse of prevalence of recovered individuals into its force of infection. Then, numerical simulations were applied to obtain approximate solutions for all three conventional SIR model, new SIR model A and model B for comparison under exact and arbitrary conditions with β = 0.3 and σ = 0.1 to mimic the infection dynamics with basic reproduction ratio (r0) of 3.0 and herd immunity threshold (HIT) of 0.667 (66.7%).Results and discussion: All three models performed likewise at the initial stage of epidemic. The conventional SIR model simulated the epidemic diminishing when 94.0% of the population had been infected and recovered, way above its HIT. Model A simulated the epidemic waning when 66.7% of the population had been infected and recovered, in line with its HIT, however, the model conceptualized the herd immunity incorrectly. Model B simulated the epidemic waning at 75.6%, slightly above its HIT and was in line with the fundamental of herd immunity. The difference between model A and model B can be attributed to the proportion of infectious individuals, and this would increase in infectious disease with high transmissibility. The threshold theorem derived based on r0 may not be sufficient for optimal control and eradication of infectious disease with high transmissibility like the COVID-19.Conclusion: The newly developed SIR model that includes the inverse of proportion of recovered individuals into its force of infection is more accurate and credible for modelling infection with high transmissibility or vaccine-induced herd immunity in a randomly mixed population, especially in COVID-19.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kian Boon Law ◽  
Kalaiarasu M. Peariasamy ◽  
Hishamshah Mohd. Ibrahim ◽  
Noor Hisham Abdullah

Abstract Background The conventional susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) model tends to overestimate the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases and ends up with total infections and total immunized population exceeding the threshold required for control and eradication of infectious diseases. The study aims to overcome the limitation by allowing the transmission rate of infectious disease to decline along with the reducing risk of contact infection. Methods Two new SIR models were developed to mimic the declining transmission rate of infectious diseases at different stages of transmission. Model A mimicked the declining transmission rate along with the reducing risk of transmission following infection, while Model B mimicked the declining transmission rate following recovery. Then, the conventional SIR model, Model A and Model B were used to simulate an infectious disease with a basic reproduction number (r0) of 3.0 and a herd immunity threshold (HIT) of 0.667 with and without vaccination. The infectious disease was expected to be controlled or eradicated when the total immunized population either through infection or vaccination reached the level predicted by the HIT. Outcomes of simulations were assessed at the time when the total immunized population reached the level predicted by the HIT, and at the end of simulations.Findings All three models performed likewise at the beginning of the transmission when sizes of infectious and recovered were relatively small as compared with the population size. The infectious disease modelled using the conventional SIR model appeared completely out of control even when the HIT was achieved in all scenarios with and without vaccination. The infectious disease modelled using Model A appeared to be controlled at the level predicted by the HIT in all scenarios with and without vaccination. Model B projected the infectious disease to be controlled at the level predicted by the HIT only at high vaccination rates. At lower vaccination rates or without vaccination, the level at which the infectious disease was controlled cannot be accurately predicted by the HIT. Conclusion Transmission dynamics of infectious diseases with herd immunity can accurately be modelled by allowing the transmission rate of infectious disease to decline along with the combined risk of contact infection. Model B provides a more credible framework for modelling infectious diseases with herd immunity in a randomly mixed population.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kian Boon Law ◽  
Kalaiarasu M. Peariasamy ◽  
Hishamshah Mohd Ibrahim ◽  
Noor Hisham Abdullah

AbstractThe conventional susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) model tends to magnify the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases, and thus the estimated total infections and immunized population may be higher than the threshold required for infection control and eradication. The study developed a new SIR framework that allows the transmission rate of infectious diseases to decline along with the reduced risk of contact infection to overcome the limitations of the conventional SIR model. Two new SIR models were formulated to mimic the declining transmission rate of infectious diseases at different stages of transmission. Model A utilized the declining transmission rate along with the reduced risk of contact infection following infection, while Model B incorporated the declining transmission rate following recovery. Both new models and the conventional SIR model were then used to simulate an infectious disease with a basic reproduction number (r0) of 3.0 and a herd immunity threshold (HIT) of 0.667 with and without vaccination. Outcomes of simulations were assessed at the time when the total immunized population reached the level predicted by the HIT, and at the end of simulations. Further, all three models were used to simulate the transmission dynamics of seasonal influenza in the United States and disease burdens were projected and compared with estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For the simulated infectious disease, in the initial phase of the outbreak, all three models performed expectedly when the sizes of infectious and recovered populations were relatively small. As the infectious population increased, the conventional SIR model appeared to overestimate the infections even when the HIT was achieved in all scenarios with and without vaccination. For the same scenario, Model A appeared to attain the level predicted by the HIT and in comparison, Model B projected the infectious disease to be controlled at the level predicted by the HIT only at high vaccination rates. For infectious diseases with high r0, and at low vaccination rates, the level at which the infectious disease was controlled cannot be accurately predicted by the current theorem. Transmission dynamics of infectious diseases with herd immunity can be accurately modelled by allowing the transmission rate of infectious diseases to decline along with the reduction of contact infection risk after recovery or vaccination. Model B provides a credible framework for modelling infectious diseases with herd immunity in a randomly mixed population.


2012 ◽  
Vol 54 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 23-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. K. WATERS ◽  
H. S. SIDHU ◽  
G. N. MERCER

AbstractPatchy or divided populations can be important to infectious disease transmission. We first show that Lloyd’s mean crowding index, an index of patchiness from ecology, appears as a term in simple deterministic epidemic models of the SIR type. Using these models, we demonstrate that the rate of movement between patches is crucial for epidemic dynamics. In particular, there is a relationship between epidemic final size and epidemic duration in patchy habitats: controlling inter-patch movement will reduce epidemic duration, but also final size. This suggests that a strategy of quarantining infected areas during the initial phases of a virulent epidemic might reduce epidemic duration, but leave the population vulnerable to future epidemics by inhibiting the development of herd immunity.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kian Boon Law ◽  
Kalaiarasu M Peariasamy ◽  
Balvinder Singh Gill ◽  
Sarbhan Singh Lakha Singh ◽  
Bala Murali Sundram ◽  
...  

Abstract The susceptible-infectious-removed (SIR) model offers the simplest framework to study transmission dynamics of COVID-19, however, it does not factor in its early depleting trend observed during a lockdown. We modified the SIR model to specifically simulate the early depleting transmission dynamics of COVID-19 to better predict its temporal trend in Malaysia. The classical SIR model was fitted to observed total (I total), active (I), and removed (R) cases of COVID-19 before lockdown to estimate the basic reproduction number. Next, the model was modified with a partial time-varying force of infection, given by a proportionally depleting transmission coefficient, βt, and a fractional term, z. The modified SIR model was then fitted to observed data over 6 weeks during the lockdown. Model fitting and projection were validated using the mean absolute percent error (MAPE). The transmission dynamics of COVID-19 was interrupted immediately by the lockdown. The modified SIR model projected the depleting temporal trends with lowest MAPE for I total, followed by I, I daily, and R. During lockdown, the dynamics of COVID-19 depleted at a rate of 4·7% each day with a decreased capacity of 40%. For 7–day and 14–day projections, the modified SIR model accurately predicted I total, I, and R. The depleting transmission dynamics for COVID-19 during lockdown can be accurately captured by time-varying SIR model. Projection generated based on observed data is useful for future planning and control of COVID-19.


Author(s):  
Dora P. Rosati ◽  
Matthew H. Woolhouse ◽  
Benjamin M. Bolker ◽  
David J. D. Earn

Popular songs are often said to be ‘contagious’, ‘infectious’ or ‘viral’. We find that download count time series for many popular songs resemble infectious disease epidemic curves. This paper suggests infectious disease transmission models could help clarify mechanisms that contribute to the ‘spread’ of song preferences and how these mechanisms underlie song popularity. We analysed data from MixRadio, comprising song downloads through Nokia cell phones in Great Britain from 2007 to 2014. We compared the ability of the standard susceptible–infectious–recovered (SIR) epidemic model and a phenomenological (spline) model to fit download time series of popular songs. We fitted these same models to simulated epidemic time series generated by the SIR model. Song downloads are captured better by the SIR model, to the same extent that actual SIR simulations are fitted better by the SIR model than by splines. This suggests that the social processes underlying song popularity are similar to those that drive infectious disease transmission. We draw conclusions about song popularity within specific genres based on estimated SIR parameters. In particular, we argue that faster spread of preferences for Electronica songs may reflect stronger connectivity of the ‘susceptible community’, compared with the larger and broader community that listens to more common genres.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document