title: Antiviral strategies for emerging influenza viruses in remote communities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Due to the lack of timely access to resources for critical care, strategic use of antiviral drugs is crucial for mitigating the impact of novel influenza viruses with pandemic potential in remote and isolated communities. We sought to evaluate the effect of antiviral treatment and prophylaxis of close contacts in a Canadian remote northern community.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used an agent-based, discrete-time simulation model for disease spread in a remote community, which was developed as an in-silico population using population census data. Relative and cumulative age-specific attack rates, and the total number of infections in simulated model scenarios were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that early initiation of antiviral treatment is more critical for lowering attack rates in a remote setting with a low population-average age compared to an urban population. Our results show that a significant reduction in the relative, age-specific attack rates due to increasing treatment coverage does not necessarily translate to a significant reduction in the overall arrack rate. When treatment coverage varies from low to moderate, targeted prophylaxis has a very limited impact in reducing attack rates and should be offered at a low level (below 10%) to avoid excessive waste of drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to previous work, for conservative treatment coverages, our results do not provide any convincing evidence for the implementation of targeted prophylaxis. The findings suggest that public health strategies in remote communities should focus on the wider availability (higher coverage) and timely distribution of antiviral drugs for treatment of clinically ill individuals.
authors.affiliation: Bartlett School of Graduate Studies, University College London, London, United Kingdom ; Agent-Based Modelling Laboratory, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laskowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Greer
authors.affiliation: Agent-Based Modelling Laboratory, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Seyed M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Moghadas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002170:Canada; D018890:Chemoprevention; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008350:Manitoba; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D012424:Rural Population; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents