Epidemiologic Methods for the Study of Infectious Diseases

This is the first comprehensive text on the methodological issues in epidemiologic research on infectious diseases. It will be an invaluable resource both to students of epidemiology and to established researchers. The authors address such questions as: What needs to be considered when enrolling participants in a study of sexually transmitted diseases? What are common sources of measurement error in population-based studies of respiratory infections? What are some sources of existing data for epidemiologic studies of infectious diseases? Answers to these and many other related questions can be found in this well-organized, comprehensive and authoritative volume - the first to thoroughly address the methodologic issues in conducting epidimiologic research on infectious diseases. The book will be an ideal complement to texts on general epidemiology and infectious disease. An introductory section will make it accessible to a wide variety of disciplines by providing an overview of topics that are foundational to understanding infectious disease epidemiology, such as the immunology of infections, the biology of infectious diseases, and concepts of causation, transmission, and dynamics. The rest of the book is structured around sections on data sources and measurement; methods by transmission type; outbreak investigation and evaluation research; and special topics such as HIV/AIDS research, infections in the elderly, and research collaborations in developing countries.