State-space modelling for infectious disease surveillance data: Stochastic simulation techniques and structural change detection

We present an exploration of advanced stochastic simulation techniques for state-space models, with a specific focus on their applications in infectious disease modelling. Utilizing COVID-19 surveillance data from the province of Ontario, Canada, we employ Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and Sequent...

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Main Author: Christopher D. Prashad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-12-01
Series:Infectious Disease Modelling
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468042725000375
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author Christopher D. Prashad
author_facet Christopher D. Prashad
author_sort Christopher D. Prashad
collection DOAJ
description We present an exploration of advanced stochastic simulation techniques for state-space models, with a specific focus on their applications in infectious disease modelling. Utilizing COVID-19 surveillance data from the province of Ontario, Canada, we employ Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and Sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) methods to detect structural changes and pre-dict future trends in case counts. Our approach begins with the application of a Kalman smoothing technique, integrated with MCMC for state sampling within local level and seasonal models, alongside Bayesian inference for non-linear dynamic regression models. We then assess the effectiveness of various priors, including normal, Student's t, Laplace, and horseshoe distributions, in capturing abrupt changes within the data using a Rao-Blackwellized par-ticle filter. Our findings highlight the superior performance of the horseshoe prior in identifying change points and adapting to complex data structures, offering valuable insights for real-time monitoring and forecasting in public health. This study emphasizes the efficacy of state-space models, particu-larly when enhanced with sophisticated prior distributions, in providing a nuanced understanding of infectious disease transmission.
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spelling doaj-art-b20251ca1326467f876e32c85db02f722025-08-22T04:56:57ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Infectious Disease Modelling2468-04272025-12-011041507153210.1016/j.idm.2025.05.005State-space modelling for infectious disease surveillance data: Stochastic simulation techniques and structural change detectionChristopher D. Prashad0Department of Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, CanadaWe present an exploration of advanced stochastic simulation techniques for state-space models, with a specific focus on their applications in infectious disease modelling. Utilizing COVID-19 surveillance data from the province of Ontario, Canada, we employ Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and Sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) methods to detect structural changes and pre-dict future trends in case counts. Our approach begins with the application of a Kalman smoothing technique, integrated with MCMC for state sampling within local level and seasonal models, alongside Bayesian inference for non-linear dynamic regression models. We then assess the effectiveness of various priors, including normal, Student's t, Laplace, and horseshoe distributions, in capturing abrupt changes within the data using a Rao-Blackwellized par-ticle filter. Our findings highlight the superior performance of the horseshoe prior in identifying change points and adapting to complex data structures, offering valuable insights for real-time monitoring and forecasting in public health. This study emphasizes the efficacy of state-space models, particu-larly when enhanced with sophisticated prior distributions, in providing a nuanced understanding of infectious disease transmission.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468042725000375State-space modellingNonlinear dynamic regressionStochastic simulationStructural change detectionRao-blackwellized particle filterInfectious disease surveillance data
spellingShingle Christopher D. Prashad
State-space modelling for infectious disease surveillance data: Stochastic simulation techniques and structural change detection
Infectious Disease Modelling
State-space modelling
Nonlinear dynamic regression
Stochastic simulation
Structural change detection
Rao-blackwellized particle filter
Infectious disease surveillance data
title State-space modelling for infectious disease surveillance data: Stochastic simulation techniques and structural change detection
title_full State-space modelling for infectious disease surveillance data: Stochastic simulation techniques and structural change detection
title_fullStr State-space modelling for infectious disease surveillance data: Stochastic simulation techniques and structural change detection
title_full_unstemmed State-space modelling for infectious disease surveillance data: Stochastic simulation techniques and structural change detection
title_short State-space modelling for infectious disease surveillance data: Stochastic simulation techniques and structural change detection
title_sort state space modelling for infectious disease surveillance data stochastic simulation techniques and structural change detection
topic State-space modelling
Nonlinear dynamic regression
Stochastic simulation
Structural change detection
Rao-blackwellized particle filter
Infectious disease surveillance data
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468042725000375
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