This project explored how statistical modelling can improve the identification of Neglected Tropical Disease infections among migrant populations in Italy. Focusing on soil-transmitted helminth infections in the Campania region, the study combined publicly available country-level information with individual screening data from 3,830 migrants originating from 64 countries. The findings showed that integrating both data sources improved the prediction of infection risk and could support more targeted screening strategies, helping to reduce pressure on specialist parasitology laboratories.
The research paper, and the study were also recognised in a .
Contributors: Jana Purkiss, Emanuele Giorgi
New infections, such as pandemics, pose significant threats to global health security. This research aims to strengthen the surveillance of such pathogens and improve pandemic preparedness by investigating how changes in the global travel influence the international spread of infections and by identifying delays in the detection and reporting of zoonotic diseases. Using mathematical models, the project will also investigate how these delays can undermine pandemic preparedness and response, and evaluate the usefulness of within-airport surveillance for global surveillance of new and emerging infections.
Contributors: Chiamaka Jibuaku, Peter Atkinson, Jonathan Read