Strengthening the Reporting of Molecular Epidemiology for Infectious Diseases (STROME-ID): an extension of the STROBE statement

Nigel Field; Ted Cohen; Marc J Struelens; Daniel Palm; Barry Cookson; Judith R Glynn; Valentina Gallo; Mary Ramsay; Pam Sonnenberg; Duncan Maccannell; Andre Charlett; Matthias Egger; Jonathan Green; Paolo Vineis; Ibrahim Abubakar

doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(13)70324-4

Strengthening the Reporting of Molecular Epidemiology for Infectious Diseases (STROME-ID): an extension of the STROBE statement

Lancet Infect Dis. 2014 Apr;14(4):341-52. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(13)70324-4. Epub 2014 Mar 14.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Infection and Population Health, University College London, London, UK.
² Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
³ Microbiology Coordination Section, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden.
⁴ Laboratory of Healthcare Associated Infection, Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control, Public Health England, London, UK.
⁵ Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
⁶ Centre for Primary Care and Public Health, Queen Mary's University, London, UK.
⁷ Immunisation, Hepatitis, and Blood Safety, Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control, Public Health England, London, UK.
⁸ National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁹ Modelling and Economics Department, Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control, Public Health England, London, UK.
¹⁰ Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
¹¹ Bioinformatics Unit, Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control, Public Health England, London, UK.
¹² School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
¹³ Department of Infection and Population Health, University College London, London, UK. Electronic address: i.abubakar@ucl.ac.uk.

PMID: 24631223
DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(13)70324-4

Abstract

Molecular data are now widely used in epidemiological studies to investigate the transmission, distribution, biology, and diversity of pathogens. Our objective was to establish recommendations to support good scientific reporting of molecular epidemiological studies to encourage authors to consider specific threats to valid inference. The statement Strengthening the Reporting of Molecular Epidemiology for Infectious Diseases (STROME-ID) builds upon the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) initiative. The STROME-ID statement was developed by a working group of epidemiologists, statisticians, bioinformaticians, virologists, and microbiologists with expertise in control of infection and communicable diseases. The statement focuses on issues relating to the reporting of epidemiological studies of infectious diseases using molecular data that were not addressed by STROBE. STROME-ID addresses terminology, measures of genetic diversity within pathogen populations, laboratory methods, sample collection, use of molecular markers, molecular clocks, timeframe, multiple-strain infections, non-independence of infectious-disease data, missing data, ascertainment bias, consistency between molecular and epidemiological data, and ethical considerations with respect to infectious-disease research. In total, 20 items were added to the 22 item STROBE checklist. When used, the STROME-ID recommendations should advance the quality and transparency of scientific reporting, with clear benefits for evidence reviews and health-policy decision making.

Publication types

Practice Guideline
Review

MeSH terms

Checklist
Communicable Diseases / epidemiology*
Epidemiologic Research Design*
Humans
Molecular Epidemiology
Research Design / standards*