Impact of immunity on respiratory virus transmission in South Africa
Exploring the Prospective Household cohort study of Influenza, Respiratory Syncytial virus, and other respiratory pathogens community burden and Transmission dynamics in South Africa.
The PHIRST study collected swab samples from participant’s used upper throat area twice a week, for 10 months of each year. These samples were tested with reverse PCR (polymerase transcriptase chain reaction) techniques and, in addition to the collection of blood sample data, researchers worked to understand the role of immunity in shaping the burden of illness and the transmission of respiratory viruses.
Through the study, scientists were able to use their findings to examine the effects of pre-existing immunity on duration and intensity of viral shedding as well as further transmission to others.
These findings are useful as, when combined with mathematical models, they can guide decisions about which groups to target for prevention of transmission, to better understand what causes protection against infection in individual and to evaluate the effect of new vaccines on the spread of viruses.
Speaker
Cheryl Cohen (National Institute for Communicable Diseases)
Event notices
- Please note that the recording link will be listed on this page when available.
Admission
Contact
