Authors: N. V. Bradbury, W. S. Hart, F. A. Lovell-Read, J. A. Polonsky, R. N. Thompson

Year: 2023

Journal: Journal of the Royal Society Interface

DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0374

Summary#

This paper presents a method for calculating the exact end-of-outbreak probability using contact tracing data, which can inform public health policymakers about when an infectious disease outbreak has finished.

Key Findings#

  • The traced transmission method can calculate the end-of-outbreak probability exactly if who-infected-whom data is available (e.g., from contact tracing studies).
  • Applying the traced transmission method to Ebola virus disease and Nipah virus infection outbreaks would have determined that the outbreak was over earlier than the existing Nishiura method.

Methodology#

  • Study Type: Theoretical/Modeling

Topics#

Mathematical Modeling, Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Relevance#

The traced transmission method may allow for quicker relaxation of control interventions at the end of an outbreak with only a limited risk of outbreak resurgence.

Source#

[Download PDF](/pdfs/clinical-epidemiology/rsif.2023.0374 (1).pdf)