Vaccination and epidemics in networked populations--An introduction

This is an introduction to the special issue titled "Vaccination and epidemics in networked populations" that is in the making at Chaos, Solitons & Fractals. While vaccination is undoubtedly one of the most important preventive measures of modern times, epidemics are feared as one of the most damaging phenomena in human societies. Recent research has explored the pivotal implications of individual behavior and heterogeneous contact patterns in networked populations, as well as the many feedback loops that exist between vaccinating behavior and disease propagation [1, 2]. Interdisciplinary explorations in the realm of statistical physics, network science, nonlinear dynamics, and data analysis have given rise to theoretical epidemiology, as well as to the theory of epidemic processes in complex networks. From classical models assuming well-mixed populations and ignoring human behavior, to recent models that account for behavioral feedback and population structure, we have come a long way in understanding disease transmission and disease dynamics, and in using this knowledge to devise effective prevention strategies. This special issue is aimed at helping the further development of these synergies. We hope that it contributes to enhance our understanding of vaccination and epidemics in networked populations, by featuring works related to vaccination and epidemics using techniques ranging from complex and temporal networks to network of networks and show-casing the possibilities of interdisciplinarity via complex systems science to tackle the challenges in our quest for a healthier future. Topics of interest include but are not limited to epidemiological modeling and vaccination, behavior-vaccination dynamics, reaction-diffusion processes and metapopulation models, evolutionary and game theoretical models in epidemiology, as well as to influence maximization and digital epidemiology.