title: Modelling control measures to reduce the impact of pandemic influenza among schoolchildren.
abstract: We coupled the Wells-Riley equation and the susceptible-exposed-infected-recovery (SEIR) model to quantify the impact of the combination of indoor air-based control measures of enhanced ventilation and respiratory masking in containing pandemic influenza within an elementary school. We integrated indoor environmental factors of a real elementary school and aetiological characteristics of influenza to estimate the age-specific risk of infection (P) and basic reproduction number (R(0)). We combined the enhanced ventilation rates of 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2/h and respiratory masking with 60%, 70%, 80%, and 95% efficacies, respectively, to predict the reducing level of R0. We also took into account the critical vaccination coverage rate among schoolchildren. Age-specific P and R(0) were estimated respectively to be 0.29 and 16.90; 0.56 and 16.11; 0.59 and 12.88; 0.64 and 16.09; and 0.07 and 2.80 for five age groups 4-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, and 25-45 years, indicating pre-schoolchildren have the highest transmission potential. We conclude that our integrated approach, employing the mechanism of transmission of indoor respiratory infection, population-dynamic transmission model, and the impact of infectious control programmes, is a powerful tool for risk profiling prediction of pandemic influenza among schoolchildren.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: S-C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: C-M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D000391:Air Microbiology; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D015233:Models, Statistical; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012574:Schools; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines