Prevention and control of infectious disease transmission in subways: an improved susceptible–exposed–infected–recovered model

IntroductionA well-connected transportation network unites localities but also accelerates the transmission of infectious diseases. Subways—an important aspect of daily travel in big cities—are high-risk sites for the transmission of urban epidemics. Intensive research examining the transmission mec...

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Main Authors: Fang Zhou, Fang Hou, Jiangtao Wang, Qiaoyun Ma, Lanfen Luo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-12-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1454450/full
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author Fang Zhou
Fang Hou
Jiangtao Wang
Qiaoyun Ma
Lanfen Luo
author_facet Fang Zhou
Fang Hou
Jiangtao Wang
Qiaoyun Ma
Lanfen Luo
author_sort Fang Zhou
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionA well-connected transportation network unites localities but also accelerates the transmission of infectious diseases. Subways—an important aspect of daily travel in big cities—are high-risk sites for the transmission of urban epidemics. Intensive research examining the transmission mechanisms of infectious diseases in subways is necessary to ascertain the risk of disease transmission encountered by commuters.MethodsIn this study, we improve the susceptible–exposed–infected–recovered (SEIR) model and propose the susceptible–exposed–infected–asymptomatic infected (SEIA) model. First, we added asymptomatic patients to the improved model as a parameter to explore the role of asymptomatic patients in the transmission of infectious diseases in a subway. The numbers of boarding and alighting passengers were added to the model as two time-varying parameters to simulate the exchange of passengers at each station.ResultsThe improved model could simulate the transmission of infectious diseases in subways and identify the key factors of transmission. We then produced an example of the transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in a subway using real subway passenger data substituted into the model for the calculations.DiscussionWe ascertained that the number of exposed people continuously increased with the operation of the subway. Asymptomatic patients had a greater impact on the transmission of infectious diseases than infected people in the course of transmission. The SEIA model constructed in this study accurately determined the spread of infectious diseases in a subway and may also be applicable to studies on the transmission of infectious diseases in other urban public transport systems.
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spelling doaj-art-d24f01127d1a4e3ea2d3879813b37fd52024-12-31T13:25:32ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652024-12-011210.3389/fpubh.2024.14544501454450Prevention and control of infectious disease transmission in subways: an improved susceptible–exposed–infected–recovered modelFang ZhouFang HouJiangtao WangQiaoyun MaLanfen LuoIntroductionA well-connected transportation network unites localities but also accelerates the transmission of infectious diseases. Subways—an important aspect of daily travel in big cities—are high-risk sites for the transmission of urban epidemics. Intensive research examining the transmission mechanisms of infectious diseases in subways is necessary to ascertain the risk of disease transmission encountered by commuters.MethodsIn this study, we improve the susceptible–exposed–infected–recovered (SEIR) model and propose the susceptible–exposed–infected–asymptomatic infected (SEIA) model. First, we added asymptomatic patients to the improved model as a parameter to explore the role of asymptomatic patients in the transmission of infectious diseases in a subway. The numbers of boarding and alighting passengers were added to the model as two time-varying parameters to simulate the exchange of passengers at each station.ResultsThe improved model could simulate the transmission of infectious diseases in subways and identify the key factors of transmission. We then produced an example of the transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in a subway using real subway passenger data substituted into the model for the calculations.DiscussionWe ascertained that the number of exposed people continuously increased with the operation of the subway. Asymptomatic patients had a greater impact on the transmission of infectious diseases than infected people in the course of transmission. The SEIA model constructed in this study accurately determined the spread of infectious diseases in a subway and may also be applicable to studies on the transmission of infectious diseases in other urban public transport systems.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1454450/fullSEIAinfectious disease transmissionsubway protection measuresasymptomatic patientinfectious prevention and control
spellingShingle Fang Zhou
Fang Hou
Jiangtao Wang
Qiaoyun Ma
Lanfen Luo
Prevention and control of infectious disease transmission in subways: an improved susceptible–exposed–infected–recovered model
Frontiers in Public Health
SEIA
infectious disease transmission
subway protection measures
asymptomatic patient
infectious prevention and control
title Prevention and control of infectious disease transmission in subways: an improved susceptible–exposed–infected–recovered model
title_full Prevention and control of infectious disease transmission in subways: an improved susceptible–exposed–infected–recovered model
title_fullStr Prevention and control of infectious disease transmission in subways: an improved susceptible–exposed–infected–recovered model
title_full_unstemmed Prevention and control of infectious disease transmission in subways: an improved susceptible–exposed–infected–recovered model
title_short Prevention and control of infectious disease transmission in subways: an improved susceptible–exposed–infected–recovered model
title_sort prevention and control of infectious disease transmission in subways an improved susceptible exposed infected recovered model
topic SEIA
infectious disease transmission
subway protection measures
asymptomatic patient
infectious prevention and control
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1454450/full
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