Structure of social contact networks and their impact on epidemics

TitleStructure of social contact networks and their impact on epidemics
Publication TypeJournal Articles
Year of Publication2006
AuthorsEubank S, Kumar VSA, Marathe MV, Srinivasan A, Wang N
JournalDIMACS Series in Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science
Volume70
Pagination181 - 181
Date Published2006///
Abstract

Traditional epidemiological research has focused on rate-based differential-equation models on completely mixing populations.
In this paper, we outline an approach based on a combination of net-
work theory and discrete-event simulations to study epidemics in large
urban areas. We survey some of our results published in Nature (2004)
and the Proc. ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms (2004),
and present some new results on: (i) mathematical properties of large
social contact networks, as well as (ii) simulation-based dynamic anal-
ysis of disease-spread in such networks. We identify a number of new
measures that are significant for understanding epidemics and for devel-
oping new strategies in policy planning. We also perform a very detailed
structural analysis of the social contact networks produced by TRAN-
SIMS, a simulator for detailed transportation/traffic studies, and study
two random graph models to generate realistic social networks: Chung-
Lu’s model and the configuration model. We also develop combinatorial
formulations and approximation algorithms for quarantining, vaccina-
tion and sensor placement, as aids to decision-making.