An Introduction to Infectious Disease Modelling

Emilia Vynnycky obtained a BA in Mathematics from Oxford University, followed by an MSc in Operational Research from Southampton University and a PhD in Infectious Disease Modelling at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), where she subsequently worked as a Lecturer until 2003. She is now senior scientist in the Modelling and Economics Unit at the Health Protection Agency (HPA), Centre for Infections. Emilia has worked on modelling the transmission and control of several different infectious diseases including tuberculosis, rubella, pandemic and seasonal influenza, measles and HIV. Emilia has also led the development of the LSHTM/HPA Infectious Disease Modelling MSc module and summer short course since its inception in 2001 with Richard White, and is currently an honorary Lecturer at LSHTM.Richard White obtained a BSc (Physics) from Durham University and an MSc (Medical Demography) and PhD (Infectious Disease Modelling) from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He is now Senior Lecturer in Infectious Disease Modelling in the Centre for the Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases at LSHTM and a Medical Research Council Methodology Research Fellow. Richard has worked extensively in recent years using mathematical modelling and classical epidemiological techniques to understand the epidemiology and control of sexually transmitted infections/HIV and other infectious diseases in developing countries. Richard is currently involved in modelling projects on the transmission and control of many infectious diseases including HIV, tuberculosis, herpes simplex virus-2, influenza, human papillomavirus and rift valley fever, in places as diverse as Senegal and Soho. He is associate editor of the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections.

This is a book that really introduces non-specialists to the growing field of Mathematical Epidemiology. I am sure that public health specialists, epidimiologists, clinicians, veterinarians, statisticians, mathematicians, economists, and even professional modellers will profit from this book. I recommend it to all my students and now to the readers of Epidemiology and Infection

• Preface ; Abbreviations and Glossary ; 1. Introduction: the basics - infections, transmission and models ; 2. How are models set up? I. An introduction to difference equations ; 3. How are models set up? II. An introduction to differential equations ; 4. What do models tell us about the dynamics of infections? ; 5. Age patterns ; 6. An introduction to stochastic modelling ; 7. How do models deal with contact patterns? ; 8. Sexually transmitted infections ; 9. Special topics in infectious disease modelling ; Appendix ; Basic maths ; Further reading ; Useful equations