Can the Heterosexual HIV Epidemic be Eliminated in South Africa Using Combination Prevention? A Modeling Analysis.

Little is known about how combining efficacious interventions for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention could lead to HIV elimination. We used an agent-based simulation model, the HIV calibrated dynamic model, to assess the potential for HIV elimination in South Africa. We examined several scenarios (from continuation of the current status quo to perfect achievement of targets) with differing combinations of male condom use, adult male circumcision, HIV testing, and early antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Quasi-Likelihood Techniques in a Logistic Regression Equation for Identifying Larval Habitats Intra-cluster Covariates in Togo.

The standard methods for regression analyses of clustered riverine larval habitat data of a major black-fly vector of Onchoceriasis, postulate models relating observational ecological-sampled parameter estimators to prolific habitats without accounting for residual intra-cluster error correlation effects. Generally, this correlation comes from two sources: (1) the design of the random effects and their assumed covariance from the multiple levels within the regression model; and, (2) the correlation structure of the residuals. Unfortunately, inconspicuous errors in residual intra-cluster correlation estimates can overstate precision in forecasted riverine larval habitat explanatory attributes regardless how they are treated (e.

Routine pre-cesarean Staphylococcus aureus screening and decolonization: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

Objectives: To estimate the economic value of screening pregnant women for Staphylococcus aureus carriage before cesarean delivery.

Study Design: Computer simulation model.

Methods: We used computer simulation to assess the cost-effectiveness, from the third-party payer perspective, of routine screening for S aureus (and subsequent decolonization of carriers) before planned cesarean delivery.