Transmission on empirical dynamic contact networks is influenced by data processing decisions

Abstract

Dynamic contact data can be used to inform disease transmission models, providing insight into the dynamics of infectious diseases. Such data often requires extensive processing for use in models or analysis. Therefore, processing decisions can potentially influence the topology of the contact network and the simulated disease transmission dynamics on the network. In this study, we examine how four processing decisions, including temporal sampling window (TSW), spatial threshold of contact (SpTh), minimum contact duration (MCD), and temporal aggregation (daily or hourly) influence the information content of contact data (indicated by changes in entropy) as well as disease transmission model dynamics. We found that changes made to information content by processing decisions translated to significant impacts to the transmission dynamics of disease models using the contact data. In particular, we found that SpTh had the largest independent influence on information content, and that some output metrics (R₀, time to peak infection) were more sensitive to changes in information than others (epidemic extent). These findings suggest that insights gained from transmission modeling using dynamic contact data can be influenced by processing decisions alone, emphasizing the need to carefully consideration them prior to using contact-based models to conduct analyses, compare different datasets, or inform policy decisions.

Keywords: Contact networks; Data processing; Disease transmission model; Dynamic contact data; Entropy; Transmission dynamics.

Fig. 1.

Flow chart of data processing procedures. Flow chart components include unprocessed temporally dynamic contact data (light grey), processes and intermediate products (dark grey), final products (black), and quality control processes (white).

Fig. 2.

Percent spectral content per spatial threshold bin (0.1665 m, 0.333 m, 0.666 m, and 0.999 m) for data aggregated over hours. At each bin, percent spectral density is represented on the y-axis, temporal sampling windows are on the x-axis, and minimum contact durations are represented as different colored lines.

Fig. 3.

Average percent spectral content aggregated by hour and displayed over 24 h for all combinations of spatial threshold (ST), temporal sampling window (TSW), and minimum contact duration (MCD). The percent spectral content is indicated on the y-axis of each graph, and the hour is located on the x-axis. Parameter combinations for SpTh and TSW are shown above each graph, and MCD is indicated by colored lines.

Fig. 4.

Average percent spectral content aggregated by day and displayed over 21 days for all combinations of spatial threshold (ST), temporal sampling window (TSW), and minimum contact duration (MCD). The percent spectral content is indicated on the y-axis of each graph, and the day is located on the x-axis. Parameter combinations for SpTh and TSW are shown above each graph, and MCD is indicated by colored lines.

Fig. 5.

R₀ as a factor of the average log spectral density of differently processed datasets aggregated at an hourly basis. SpTh value is indicated by color (orange = 0.1665 m, green = 0.333 m, blue = 0.666 m, purple = 0.999 m); TSW is indicated by shape (circle = 10 s; triangle = 15 s; square = 30 s; cross = 60 s; x-box = 180 s); MCD value is indicated by size.

Fig. 6.

Total infected individuals as a factor of the average log spectral density of differently processed datasets aggregated at an hourly basis. SpTh value is indicated by color (orange = 0.1665 m, green = 0.333 m, blue = 0.666 m, purple = 0.999 m); TSW is indicated by shape (circle = 10 s; triangle = 15 s; square = 30 s; cross = 60 s; x-box = 180 s); MCD value is indicated by size.

Fig. 7.

Peak infection time as a factor of the average log spectral density of differently processed datasets aggregated at an hourly basis. SpTh value is indicated by color (orange = 0.1665 m, green = 0.333 m, blue = 0.666 m, purple = 0.999 m); TSW is indicated by shape (circle = 10 s; triangle = 15 s; square = 30 s; cross = 60 s; x-box = 180 s); MCD value is indicated by size.