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Refined stratified-worm-burden models that incorporate specific biological features of human and snail hosts provide better estimates of Schistosoma diagnosis, transmission, and control

Overview of attention for article published in Parasites & Vectors, August 2016
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Title
Refined stratified-worm-burden models that incorporate specific biological features of human and snail hosts provide better estimates of Schistosoma diagnosis, transmission, and control
Published in
Parasites & Vectors, August 2016
DOI 10.1186/s13071-016-1681-4
Pubmed ID
Authors

David Gurarie, Charles H. King, Nara Yoon, Emily Li

Abstract

Schistosoma parasites sustain a complex transmission process that cycles between a definitive human host, two free-swimming larval stages, and an intermediate snail host. Multiple factors modify their transmission and affect their control, including heterogeneity in host populations and environment, the aggregated distribution of human worm burdens, and features of parasite reproduction and host snail biology. Because these factors serve to enhance local transmission, their inclusion is important in attempting accurate quantitative prediction of the outcomes of schistosomiasis control programs. However, their inclusion raises many mathematical and computational challenges. To address these, we have recently developed a tractable stratified worm burden (SWB) model that occupies an intermediate place between simpler deterministic mean worm burden models and the very computationally-intensive, autonomous agent models. To refine the accuracy of model predictions, we modified an earlier version of the SWB by incorporating factors representing essential in-host biology (parasite mating, aggregation, density-dependent fecundity, and random egg-release) into demographically structured host communities. We also revised the snail component of the transmission model to reflect a saturable form of human-to-snail transmission. The new model allowed us to realistically simulate overdispersed egg-test results observed in individual-level field data. We further developed a Bayesian-type calibration methodology that accounted for model and data uncertainties. The new model methodology was applied to multi-year, individual-level field data on S. haematobium infections in coastal Kenya. We successfully derived age-specific estimates of worm burden distributions and worm fecundity and crowding functions for children and adults. Estimates from the new SWB model were compared with those from the older, simpler SWB with some substantial differences noted. We validated our new SWB estimates in prediction of drug treatment-based control outcomes for a typical Kenyan community. The new version of the SWB model provides a better tool to predict the outcomes of ongoing schistosomiasis control programs. It reflects parasite features that augment and perpetuate transmission, while it also readily incorporates differences in diagnostic testing and human sub-population differences in treatment coverage. Once extended to other Schistosoma species and transmission environments, it will provide a useful and efficient tool for planning control and elimination strategies.

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The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 7 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 68 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 68 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Researcher 13 19%
Student > Ph. D. Student 10 15%
Student > Master 9 13%
Student > Doctoral Student 5 7%
Student > Bachelor 5 7%
Other 11 16%
Unknown 15 22%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Medicine and Dentistry 10 15%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences 6 9%
Nursing and Health Professions 6 9%
Environmental Science 5 7%
Sports and Recreations 3 4%
Other 14 21%
Unknown 24 35%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 17 September 2016.
All research outputs
#12,668,839
of 22,881,964 outputs
Outputs from Parasites & Vectors
#2,044
of 5,475 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#186,170
of 367,308 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Parasites & Vectors
#50
of 140 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 22,881,964 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 44th percentile – i.e., 44% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 5,475 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.7. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 61% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 367,308 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one is in the 48th percentile – i.e., 48% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
We're also able to compare this research output to 140 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 64% of its contemporaries.