The Impact of Illness on Social Networks: Implications for Transmission and Control of Influenza

摘要: We expect social networks to change as a result of illness, but contact data are generally collected from healthy persons. Here we quantified the impact influenza-like illness on mixing patterns. analyzed patterns persons England measured when they were symptomatic with during 2009 A/H1N1pdm influenza epidemic (2009–2010) and again 2 weeks later had recovered. Illness was associated reduction in number contacts, particularly settings outside home, reducing reproduction about one-quarter value it would otherwise have taken. also observed age distribution contacts. By comparing expected cases resulting transmission by (a)symptomatic incidence data, estimated contribution both groups transmission. Using this, calculated fraction persons, assuming equal duration infectiousness. that 66% attributable disease (95% confidence interval: 0.23, 1.00). This has important implications for control: Treating antiviral agents or encouraging home isolation be major transmission, since this strain low.