title: Dose-response models for selected respiratory infectious agents: Bordetella pertussis, group a Streptococcus, rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dose-response assessment is one step in quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA). Four infectious microbes capable of causing respiratory diseases important to public health, and for which dose-response functions have not been available are: Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough), group A Streptococcus (pharyngitis), rhinovirus (common cold) and respiratory syncytial virus (common cold). The objective of this study was to fit dose-response functions for these microbes to published experimental data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental infectivity data in human subjects and/or animal models were identified from the peer-reviewed literature. The exponential and beta-Poisson dose-response functions were fitted using the method of maximum likelihood, and models compared by Akaike's Information Criterion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dose-response functions were identified for each appropriate data set for the four infectious microbes. Statistical and graphical measures of fit are presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the fitted dose-response functions it will be possible to perform QMRA for these microbes. The dose-response functions, however, have a number of limitations associated with the route of exposure, use of animal hosts, and quality of fit. As a result, thoughtfulness must be used in selecting one dose-response function for a QMRA, and the function should be recognized as a significant source of uncertainty. Nonetheless, QMRA offers a transparent, systematic framework within which to understand the mechanisms of disease transmission, and evaluate interventions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health University of Illinois, Chicago, USA. rjones25@uic.edu.
authors.forename: Rachael M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health University of Illinois, Chicago, USA. ysu26@uic.edu.
authors.forename: Yu-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058491:Bacterial Load; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000502:physiology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D012229:Rhinovirus / Q000502:physiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000166:cytology*; D019562:Viral Load; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000382:microbiology