Connecting Network Properties of Rapidly Disseminating Epizoonotics
Figure 7
Synchronicity and directionality of AI epidemic flows and interactions between pre- and post-outbreak variables.
Based on the data reported in Figure 6a, epidemic nodes were ranked according to the number of infective links that crossed their surface, e. g., ranked epidemic node (REN) # 1 was crossed by the highest number of infective links (A). Both synchronicity and directionality were revealed when RENs were plotted against the weekly (log) number of epidemic cases, and several classes of epidemic nodes were distinguished. REN # 1 was engaged first, and later, it was followed by nodes of lower ranks The epidemic flow moved from high to low RENs (directionality was observed) and, at a given point in time, similar nodes were active (synchronicity was demonstrated). RENs #8 and 9 had no influence on epidemic dispersal: they only produced one case each (A). An additional graph, which linked the centroids of epidemic nodes, determined the distance between pairs of highway intersection areas that included epidemic cases (B). The median distance between such intersections was significantly shorter for high than for low RENs (C). Such finding supported the view that critical hubs –connecting node structures, which predate epidemic occurrence and are likely to act as epidemic nodes– may be identified even before microbial invasions occur.