What Role Does Modeling Play in Infectious Disease Epidemiology?
Mathematical and computational models are invaluable in infectious disease epidemiology. Models help predict the course of an outbreak, evaluate the potential impact of interventions, and understand complex systems. For example:
- SEIR Models: These models categorize the population into Susceptible, Exposed, Infectious, and Recovered compartments to simulate disease dynamics. - Agent-Based Models: These simulate interactions of individuals within a population to understand the spread of disease. - Forecasting Models: These predict future incidence based on current data and trends.
