A Systematic Bayesian Integration of Epidemiological and Genetic Data.

ABSTRACT: Genetic sequence data on pathogens have great potential to inform inference of their transmission dynamics ultimately leading to better disease control. Where genetic change and disease transmission occur on comparable timescales additional information can be inferred via the joint analysis of such genetic sequence data and epidemiological observations based on clinical symptoms and diagnostic tests. Although recently introduced approaches represent substantial progress, for computational reasons they approximate genuine joint inference of disease dynamics and genetic change in the pathogen population, capturing partially the joint epidemiological-evolutionary dynamics. Improved methods are needed to fully integrate such genetic data with epidemiological observations, for achieving a more

SUBMITTER: Lau MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4658172 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature