EMOD

What is the current evidence base for measles vaccination earlier than 9 months of age?: Report from an informal technical consultation of the World Health Organization

Measles is one of the most contagious vaccine preventable diseases, causing severe complications and deaths globally. While vaccination with a measles-containing vaccine (MCV) has prevented millions of measles deaths, recent trends, especially from low- and middle-income countries, are discouraging. Measles cases have increased since 2021 as MCV coverage has decreased; and an estimated 107,500 measles…
Democratizing uncertainty quantification

Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) is vital to safety-critical model-based analyses, but the widespread adoption of sophisticated UQ methods is limited by technical complexity. In this paper, we introduce UM-Bridge (the UQ and Modeling Bridge), a high-level abstraction and software protocol that facilitates universal interoperability of UQ software with simulation codes. It breaks down the technical complexity…
EMOD generic

EMOD-Generic is a stochastic, agent-based, spatial model designed to inform policy decisions as well as investigate new intervention strategies. The within-host and transmission models allow the user to see how different interventions impact transmission of a low complexity disease. As a spatial model, EMOD allows the definition of demographics, relationship dynamics, and intervention distributions in…
Report from the World Health Organization's immunization and vaccines-related implementation research advisory committee (IVIR-AC) ad hoc meeting, 28 June – 1 July 2024

The World Health Organization’s Immunization and Vaccines-related Implementation Research Advisory Committee (IVIR-AC) serves to independently review and evaluate vaccine-related research to maximize the potential impact of vaccination programs. From 28 June – 1 July 2024, IVIR-AC was convened for an ad hoc meeting to discuss new evidence on criteria for rubella vaccine introduction and the…
Congenital Rubella Syndrome Does Not Increase with Introduction of Rubella-Containing Vaccine

Rubella infection is typically mild or asymptomatic except when infection occurs during pregnancy. Infection in early pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or congenital rubella syndrome. Only individuals that are still susceptible to rubella infection during child-bearing age are vulnerable to this burden. Rubella-containing vaccine (RCV) is safe and effective, providing life-long immunity. However, average age-at-infection…
Feasibility of measles and rubella vaccination programmes for disease elimination: a modelling study

Background Marked reductions in the incidence of measles and rubella have been observed since the widespread use of the measles and rubella vaccines. Although no global goal for measles eradication has been established, all six WHO regions have set measles elimination targets. However, a gap remains between current control levels and elimination targets, as shown…
Rural prioritization may increase the impact of COVID-19 vaccines in a representative COVAX AMC country setting due to ongoing internal migration: A modeling study

How COVID-19 vaccine is distributed within low- and middle-income countries has received little attention outside of equity or logistical concerns but may ultimately affect campaign impact in terms of infections, severe cases, or deaths averted. In this study we examined whether subnational (urban-rural) prioritization may affect the cumulative two-year impact on disease transmission and burden…
TB Hackathon: Development and Comparison of Five Models to Predict Subnational Tuberculosis Prevalence in Pakistan

Pakistan’s national tuberculosis control programme (NTP) is among the many programmes worldwide that value the importance of subnational tuberculosis (TB) burden estimates to support disease control efforts, but do not have reliable estimates. A hackathon was thus organised to solicit the development and comparison of several models for small area estimation of TB. The TB…
Gene drive mosquitoes can aid malaria elimination by retarding Plasmodium sporogonic development

Gene drives hold promise for the genetic control of malaria vectors. The development of vector population modification strategies hinges on the availability of effector mechanisms impeding parasite development in transgenic mosquitoes. We augmented a midgut gene of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae to secrete two exogenous antimicrobial peptides, magainin 2 and melittin. This small genetic…
Modeling anticipated changes in numbers of SARS-CoV-2 infections within communities due to immunization campaigns

Background: As SARS-CoV-2 spread in early 2020, uncertainty about the scope, duration, and impact of the unfolding outbreaks caused numerous countries to interrupt many routine activities, including health services. Because immunization is an essential health service, modeling changes in SARS-CoV-2 infections among communities and health workers due to different vaccination activities was undertaken to understand…