COST ACTION CA18208

Novel tools for test evaluation and disease prevalence estimation

HARMONY

DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION

Epidemiological studies assessing disease prevalence are critically important to both the identification and control of pathogens in humans and animals (including zoonosis and food borne outbreaks).

However, countries typically collect data in a way that is best suited for their specific needs, and non-standardized sampling strategies and diagnostic methods produce prevalence estimates that cannot be directly compared. Hence, the need for harmonization, which has been often highlighted in reports of relevant EU institutions, like the ECDC and EFSA. Despite the availability of appropriate statistical methods – Bayesian Latent Class Models (BLCMs) – that adjust for the imperfect accuracy of the diagnostic process and produce comparable prevalence estimates, the number of research studies and scientific reports that use them is small compared to the number of instances that use of such methods would have been optimal.

The objective of this proposal is to coordinate and promote the implementation of BLCMs through networking and knowledge transfer between BLCM experts and researchers working in statistics, epidemiology, diagnostics and population health. Specifically, we will (a) increase the visibility and collaboration of BLCM researchers, (b) promote stakeholder engagement, (c) provide training and networking opportunities for ECIs and ITC researchers, (d) create separate training opportunities for policy makers and stakeholders, (e) establish a free online BLCMs repository, (f) set up an International society for BLCMs and (g) organize the first international conference of this society. The strongest asset of this proposal is its strong interdisciplinary nature and broad network of proposers.

rafael-hoyos-weht-UHcnIzIFZw8-unsplash
2 May, 2023 
- 3 May, 2023
Venue: Athens, Greece
The HARMONY COST Action 18208 is organizing a 2-day training school in Athens, Greece, 2-3 May 2023. This 2-day event is a training school, part of the HARMONY COST Action 18208. Training activities with lectures, hands-on practical sessions and discussion will focus on understanding the risks of bias in epidemiological studies of prevalence. This training...
Madrid, Spain
12 July, 2023 
- 14 July, 2023
Venue: VISAVET Health Surveillance Center, Universidad Complutense Madrid, Spain
Going beyond test evaluation and true prevalence estimation The HARMONY COST Action 18208 is organizing a 3-day training school in Madrid, Spain, 12-14 July 2023. This 3-day event is a training school, part of the HARMONY COST Action 18208, training activities with didactic teaching and hands-on practical sessions and discussion, focusing on Bayesian statistics. The...
davide-baraldi-BKFflYZYjoA-unsplash
HARMONY newsletter presenting our plans for 2023.
rafael-hoyos-weht-UHcnIzIFZw8-unsplash
2 May, 2023 
- 3 May, 2023
Venue: Athens, Greece
The HARMONY COST Action 18208 is organizing a 2-day training school in Athens, Greece, 2-3 May 2023. This 2-day event is a training school, part of the HARMONY COST Action 18208. Training activities with lectures, hands-on practical sessions and discussion will focus on understanding the risks of bias in epidemiological studies of prevalence. This training...
Madrid, Spain
12 July, 2023 
- 14 July, 2023
Venue: VISAVET Health Surveillance Center, Universidad Complutense Madrid, Spain
Going beyond test evaluation and true prevalence estimation The HARMONY COST Action 18208 is organizing a 3-day training school in Madrid, Spain, 12-14 July 2023. This 3-day event is a training school, part of the HARMONY COST Action 18208, training activities with didactic teaching and hands-on practical sessions and discussion, focusing on Bayesian statistics. The...
davide-baraldi-BKFflYZYjoA-unsplash
HARMONY newsletter presenting our plans for 2023.
novi_sad
26 April, 2023 
- 28 April, 2023
Venue: Novi Sad, Serbia
EPIZONE European Research Group – 15th Annual Meeting The EPIZONE 15th Annual Meeting will be from 26-28 April 2023 in Novi Sad, Serbia. The event will be hosted by the Scientific Veterinary Institute ‘Novi Sad’. The theme of this year’s edition will be “New perspectives for the new era”. The venue will be the leading fair institution...