Abstract

Superspreading is known to have played an important role in the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2. In this Comment, the authors discuss how knowledge of the extent and cause of superspreading is important for designing appropriate control measures for emerging infectious diseases.

The superspreading that characterized SARS and now COVID-19 can be rapidly quantified; however, its implications for outbreak control were never well understood. Recent studies point to its profound impact on outbreak dynamics and prospects for effective control of a future Disease X. These insights necessitate research into the mechanisms, impact and different modes of superspreading more widely.

Details

Title
The counterintuitive implications of superspreading diseases
Author
Nielsen, Bjarke Frost 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Sneppen, Kim 2 ; Simonsen, Lone 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

1  Roskilde University, PandemiX Center of Excellence, Roskilde, Denmark (GRID:grid.11702.35) (ISNI:0000 0001 0672 1325); Princeton University, High Meadows Environmental Institute, Princeton, USA (GRID:grid.16750.35) (ISNI:0000 0001 2097 5006) 
2  University of Copenhagen, The Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark (GRID:grid.5254.6) (ISNI:0000 0001 0674 042X) 
3  Roskilde University, PandemiX Center of Excellence, Roskilde, Denmark (GRID:grid.11702.35) (ISNI:0000 0001 0672 1325) 
Pages
6954
Publication year
2023
Publication date
2023
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20411723
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42612-9
ProQuest document ID
2884497188
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2023. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.