The effects of school holidays on transmission of varicella zoster virus, England and Wales, 1967-2008.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Changes in children's contact patterns between termtime and school holidays affect the transmission of several respiratory-spread infections. Transmission of varicella zoster virus (VZV), the causative agent of chickenpox, has also been linked to the school calendar in several settings, but temporal changes in the proportion of young children attending childcare centres may have influenced this relationship.

Methods

We used two modelling methods (a simple difference equations model and a Time series Susceptible Infectious Recovered (TSIR) model) to estimate fortnightly values of a contact parameter (the per capita rate of effective contact between two specific individuals), using GP consultation data for chickenpox in England and Wales from 1967-2008.

Results</

SUBMITTER: Jackson C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4059708 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature