📊 Category

epidemiology

357 papers

Epidemiology is the study of how diseases spread through populations and what factors influence their patterns. Rather than focusing on individual patients, this field examines broader trends to identify outbreaks, track transmission, and guide public health decisions. By analyzing data on infection rates and risk factors, researchers work to prevent future health crises and protect communities worldwide.

On Gist.Science, we process every new preprint in this category directly from medRxiv to make these critical findings instantly accessible. For each study, we provide both a plain-language explanation for general readers and a detailed technical summary for specialists. This dual approach ensures that vital insights into disease dynamics are understood clearly and quickly by everyone who needs them.

Explore the latest research below to see how scientists are currently mapping disease trends and developing strategies to safeguard global health.

📊 epidemiology

Investigation of the continuous spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the post pandemic time - Insights into the reason for the sustained spread despite the establishment of population immunity

This genomic epidemiology study of SARS-CoV-2 in Germany reveals that while population immunity exists, the virus's sustained spread is primarily driven by recombination events within the Omicron BA.2 lineage since mid-2024, highlighting the critical need for continued genomic surveillance to predict long-term transmission trends.

Yi, B.2026-07-03
📊 epidemiology

Cancer trends in England in younger adults from 2001-2023: comparing incidence, mortality and stage at diagnosis

This study analyzes English national data from 2001 to 2023 to reveal that while incidence rates for 12 cancers are rising in adults aged 20–49, mortality is increasing only for colorectal and endometrial cancers, with distinct stage-specific trends showing that colorectal and breast cancers are driving increases in late-stage disease.

berrington de gonzalez, a., O'Brien, E., Richards, Z., Frost, R., Shiels, M., Macklin-Doherty, A., Garcia-Closas, M.2026-07-02
📊 epidemiology

PrEP-associated screening reduces N. gonorrhoeae transmission but increases case notifications among MSM: a modeling study

This modeling study demonstrates that while PrEP-associated screening effectively reduces the true transmission and prevalence of *N. gonorrhoeae* among men who have sex with men by shortening infection duration, it paradoxically increases case notifications by detecting previously undiagnosed asymptomatic infections, suggesting that public health focus should shift toward managing the consequences of increased antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance.

Marrec, L., Lehtinen, S.2026-07-02
📊 epidemiology

The national burden from Onyongnyong and chikungunya viruses in Cameroon

By analyzing 6,324 serum samples from Cameroon using a novel multiplex assay that accounts for cross-reactivity, researchers revealed that Onyongnyong virus has circulated endemically with millions of historical infections despite being unreported, whereas Chikungunya virus has only caused sporadic outbreaks.

Ngu Njei, A., Puri, A., White, M., Garcia, L., Lambert, C., Jakpou, S., Brice Tchatchueng Mbougu, J., Cortes-Azuero, O. (…)2026-07-01
📊 epidemiology

Incidence trends of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary infections in Australia, Cambodia, Japan, Thailand, and the United States

This study reveals that pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection incidence increased across Australia, Cambodia, Japan, Thailand, and the US, with significant regional variations in demographic patterns and species distribution that are likely influenced by differences in diagnostic capacity and health system focus rather than true infection burden.

Pradana, A. R., Ashcroft, M. M., Watthanasiri, P., Mercaldo, R. A., Kawatsu, L., Morino, E., Ung, S., Yek, C., Matsumoto (…)2026-07-01
📊 epidemiology

Causal effect of loss to follow-up on mortality in a population-based tuberculosis cohort in Brazil

Using a sequential landmark cohort analysis of over 171,000 tuberculosis patients in Brazil, this study demonstrates that loss to follow-up at any point during treatment substantially increases late TB-attributable mortality, highlighting the critical need to prevent treatment interruptions as a programmatic priority.

Lepka de Lima, E., Lindoso, A. A., Orlandi, G., Fukasava, S., Martinez, C., Croda, J., Horsburgh, C. R., Ranzani, O., Br (…)2026-07-01
📊 epidemiology

Variability in US COVID Mortality, Viral Evolution, and the Emergence of Acquired Social Immune Dysfunction

This paper argues that the US COVID-19 pandemic evolved into regionally divergent epidemics driven by viral mutations and shifting public responses, culminating in "Acquired Social Immune Dysfunction," a state where the decoupling of epidemic threat, intervention effectiveness, policy activation, and public compliance weakened societal cohesion and response efficacy.

Morris, R. D.2026-07-01
📊 epidemiology

Evaluating Open-Source Wrist-Worn Accelerometer Models for Sedentary Time Detection Against Thigh-Worn Accelerometer Data

This study demonstrates that wrist-worn accelerometers, particularly when analyzed using the ActiNet machine learning model, can accurately estimate sedentary time and prolonged sedentary bouts in free-living settings compared to thigh-worn reference data, supporting their use in future epidemiological research.

Acquah, A., Broomberg, K., Dunstan, D. W., Healy, G. N., Davies, M. J., Edwardson, C. L., Doherty, A., Maylor, B. D.2026-07-01