Epidemiology

Using step selection functions to analyse human mobility using telemetry data in infectious disease epidemiology: a case study of leptospirosis

1. Pablo Ruiz Cuenca
2. Fábio N Souza
3. Roberta Coutinho do Nascimento
4. Ariane Goncalves da Silva
5. Max T Eyre
6. Juliet O Santana
7. Daiana de Oliveira
8. Emile V Ribeiro de Souza
9. Fabiana G Palma
10. Diogo C de Carvalho Santiago
11. Priscyla dos Santos Ribeiro
12. Priscilla Elizabeth Ferreira dos Santos
13. Hussein Khalil
14. Jonathan M Read
15. Cleber Cremonese
16. Federico Costa
17. Emanuele Giorgi

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study makes a novel and valuable contribution by adapting step selection functions, traditionally used in animal ecology, to explore human movement and environmental risk exposure in urban slums, offering a promising framework for spatial epidemiology, particularly regarding leptospirosis. The integration of GPS telemetry with environmental data and the stratification by gender and serostatus are notable strengths that enhance the study's relevance for public health applications. The strength of evidence is compelling.

Reviewed by eLife

Reassessing the link between adiposity and head and neck cancer: a Mendelian randomization study

1. Fernanda Morales Berstein
2. Jasmine Khouja
3. Mark Gormley
4. Elmira Ebrahimi
5. Shama Virani
6. James D McKay
7. Paul Brennan
8. Tom G Richardson
9. Caroline L Relton
10. George Davey Smith
11. M Carolina Borges
12. Tom Dudding
13. Rebecca C Richmond

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This important study reports that higher genetically predicted BMI is associated with a modestly increased risk of head and neck cancer. The convincing evidence is supported by rigorous Mendelian Randomization approaches, using multiple genetic instruments and models that reduce sensitivity to pleiotropy. However, results from pleiotropy-robust analyses were less consistent, which limits the strength of causal inference. The work will be of interest to researchers studying cancer risk factors and genetic epidemiology.

Reviewed by eLife

Inferring variant-specific effective reproduction numbers from combined case and sequencing data

1. Marlin D Figgins
2. Trevor Bedford

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study provides new important insights concerning pathogen variant-specific reproduction parameters from molecular sequencing and case finding. The methods for inferring which variants will likely emerge in subsequent epidemic cycles are solid. This article is of broad interest to infectious disease epidemiology researchers and mathematical modellers of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reviewed by eLife, ScreenIT

Forecasting the spatial spread of an Ebola epidemic in real time: Comparing predictions of mathematical models and experts

1. James D Munday
2. Alicia Rosello
3. W John Edmunds
4. Sebastian Funk

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This manuscript provides valuable evidence comparing the performance of mathematical models and opinions from experts engaged in outbreak response in forecasting the spatial spread of an Ebola epidemic. The evidence supporting the conclusions is convincing. It will be of interest to disease modellers, infectious disease epidemiologists, policy-makers, and those who need to inform policy-makers during an outbreak.

Reviewed by eLife

West Nile Virus ( Orthoflavivirus nilense ) RNA concentrations in wastewater solids at five wastewater treatment plants in the United States

1. Alessandro Zulli
2. Dorothea Duong
3. Bridgette Shelden
4. Amanda Bidwell
5. Marlene K. Wolfe
6. Bradley White
7. Alexandria B. Boehm

Reviewed by Rapid Reviews Infectious Diseases

How floods may affect the spatial spread of respiratory pathogens: the case of Emilia-Romagna, Italy in May 2023

1. Claudio Ascione
2. Eugenio Valdano

Reviewed by Rapid Reviews Infectious Diseases

A sex-specific Mendelian randomization-phenome-wide association study of body mass index

1. Zhu Liduzi Jiesisibieke
2. Io Ieong Chan
3. Jack Chun Man Ng
4. C Mary Schooling

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  The study presents valuable findings on Mendelian randomization-phenome-wide association, with BMI associated with health outcomes, and there is a focus on sex differences. The phenotype and genotype data are convincing. The work will be of interest to researchers and clinicians in epidemiology, public health and medicine.

Reviewed by eLife