A primer on inference and prediction with epidemic renewal models and sequential Monte Carlo

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Steyn, Nicholas, Parag, Kris V., Thompson, Robin N., Donnelly, Christl A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Steyn, Nicholas
Parag, Kris V.
Thompson, Robin N.
Donnelly, Christl A.
author_facet Steyn, Nicholas
Parag, Kris V.
Thompson, Robin N.
Donnelly, Christl A.
contents Renewal models are widely used in statistical epidemiology as semi-mechanistic models of disease transmission. While primarily used for estimating the instantaneous reproduction number, they can also be used for generating projections, estimating elimination probabilities, modelling the effect of interventions, and more. We demonstrate how simple sequential Monte Carlo methods (also known as particle filters) can be used to perform inference on these models. Our goal is to acquaint a reader who has a working knowledge of statistical inference with these methods and models and to provide a practical guide to their implementation. We focus on these methods' flexibility and their ability to handle multiple statistical and other biases simultaneously. We leverage this flexibility to unify existing methods for estimating the instantaneous reproduction number and generating projections. A companion website SMC and epidemic renewal models provides additional worked examples, self-contained code to reproduce the examples presented here, and additional materials.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_18875
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A primer on inference and prediction with epidemic renewal models and sequential Monte Carlo
Steyn, Nicholas
Parag, Kris V.
Thompson, Robin N.
Donnelly, Christl A.
Methodology
Quantitative Methods
Applications
Renewal models are widely used in statistical epidemiology as semi-mechanistic models of disease transmission. While primarily used for estimating the instantaneous reproduction number, they can also be used for generating projections, estimating elimination probabilities, modelling the effect of interventions, and more. We demonstrate how simple sequential Monte Carlo methods (also known as particle filters) can be used to perform inference on these models. Our goal is to acquaint a reader who has a working knowledge of statistical inference with these methods and models and to provide a practical guide to their implementation. We focus on these methods' flexibility and their ability to handle multiple statistical and other biases simultaneously. We leverage this flexibility to unify existing methods for estimating the instantaneous reproduction number and generating projections. A companion website SMC and epidemic renewal models provides additional worked examples, self-contained code to reproduce the examples presented here, and additional materials.
title A primer on inference and prediction with epidemic renewal models and sequential Monte Carlo
topic Methodology
Quantitative Methods
Applications
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.18875