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The pitfalls of inferring virus–virus interactions from co-detection prevalence data: application to influenza and SARS-CoV-2.
- Source :
- Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences; 1/12/2022, Vol. 289 Issue 1966, p1-10, 10p
- Publication Year :
- 2022
-
Abstract
- There is growing experimental evidence that many respiratory viruses—including influenza and SARS-CoV-2—can interact, such that their epidemiological dynamics may not be independent. To assess these interactions, standard statistical tests of independence suggest that the prevalence ratio—defined as the ratio of co-infection prevalence to the product of single-infection prevalences—should equal unity for non-interacting pathogens. As a result, earlier epidemiological studies aimed to estimate the prevalence ratio from co-detection prevalence data, under the assumption that deviations from unity implied interaction. To examine the validity of this assumption, we designed a simulation study that built on a broadly applicable epidemiological model of co-circulation of two emerging or seasonal respiratory viruses. By focusing on the pair influenza–SARS-CoV-2, we first demonstrate that the prevalence ratio systematically underestimates the strength of interaction, and can even misclassify antagonistic or synergistic interactions that persist after clearance of infection. In a global sensitivity analysis, we further identify properties of viral infection—such as a high reproduction number or a short infectious period—that blur the interaction inferred from the prevalence ratio. Altogether, our results suggest that ecological or epidemiological studies based on co-detection prevalence data provide a poor guide to assess interactions among respiratory viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 09628452
- Volume :
- 289
- Issue :
- 1966
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 154664582
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.2358