A mechanistic model of infection: why duration and intensity of contacts should be included in models of disease spread
Open Access
- 17 November 2009
- journal article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling
- Vol. 6 (1), 25
- https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-4682-6-25
Abstract
Mathematical models and simulations of disease spread often assume a constant per-contact transmission probability. This assumption ignores the heterogeneity in transmission probabilities, e.g. due to the varying intensity and duration of potentially contagious contacts. Ignoring such heterogeneities might lead to erroneous conclusions from simulation results. In this paper, we show how a mechanistic model of disease transmission differs from this commonly used assumption of a constant per-contact transmission probability.Keywords
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