Virginia Pitzer, ScD
Professor of Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases)DownloadHi-Res Photo
Cards
Additional Titles
Co-director, Public Health Modeling Concentration
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Contact Info
About
Titles
Professor of Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases)
Co-director, Public Health Modeling Concentration; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Biography
Virginia (Ginny) Pitzer, joined the Yale School of Public Health as an assistant professor in 2012. She received her bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University in 2002 and a Sc.D. in Epidemiology from Harvard School of Public Health in 2007, and was a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University and the Research and Policy for Infectious Disease Dynamics (RAPIDD) program at Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health prior to coming to Yale.
Her research focuses on mathematical and statistical modeling of the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases, including rotavirus, typhoid fever, and RSV. She studies how interventions such as vaccination, improved treatment of cases, and improvements in sanitation affect disease transmission at the population level. She has served on numerous World Health Organization advisory groups, including the Immunization and Vaccine-related Implementation Research Advisory Committee (WHO IVIR-AC) and is currently Co-Editor-in-Chief for PLOS Computational Biology.
Ginny also serves as Co-Director of the Public Health Modeling concentration and as a member of the Graduate Studies Executive Committee overseeing the PhD program at Yale School of Public Health.
Last Updated on July 08, 2025.
Appointments
Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases
ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- ScD
- Harvard School of Public Health, Epidemiology (2007)
- AB
- Princeton University, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (2002)
Research
Overview
Medical Research Interests
Ecology; Global Health; Immunization; Paratyphoid Fever; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses; Rotavirus; Typhoid Fever
Public Health Interests
Vaccines; Respiratory Disease/Infections; Microbial Ecology; Modeling; Infectious Diseases; COVID-19; Child/Adolescent Health; Global Health
ORCID
0000-0003-1015-2289- View Lab Website
Pitzer lab
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Virginia Pitzer's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Virginia Pitzer's research output by year.
Research Interests
Research topics Virginia Pitzer is interested in exploring.
Daniel Weinberger, PhD
Ernest Asare, PhD
Joshua Warren, PhD
A. David Paltiel, MBA, PhD
Deus Thindwa, PhD
Gregg Gonsalves, PhD
59Publications
2,047Citations
Typhoid Fever
Rotavirus
Global Health
Immunization
Publications
2025
Exploring RSV Transmission Patterns in Different Age Groups in the United States
Li K, Pitzer V, Weinberger D. Exploring RSV Transmission Patterns in Different Age Groups in the United States. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2025, jiaf230. PMID: 40308004, DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf230.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricThe Role of Viral Interference in Shaping RSV Epidemics Following the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic
Li K, Thindwa D, Weinberger D, Pitzer V. The Role of Viral Interference in Shaping RSV Epidemics Following the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic. Influenza And Other Respiratory Viruses 2025, 19: e70111. PMID: 40275825, PMCID: PMC12022500, DOI: 10.1111/irv.70111.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsRespiratory syncytial virusRespiratory syncytial virus activityRespiratory syncytial virus epidemicsInfluenza pandemicViral interferenceLaboratory-confirmed RSV casesRSV epidemicsDecreased RSV infectionH1N1 influenza pandemicRSV infectionRSV seasonRSV casesSyncytial virusPandemic influenzaInfluenzaRSV activityCo-infectionSurveillance dataEpidemicUnited StatesUS regionsH1N1The validity of test-negative design for assessment of typhoid conjugate vaccine protection: comparison of estimates by different study designs using data from a cluster-randomised controlled trial
Feng S, Zhang Y, Khanam F, Voysey M, Pitzer V, Qadri F, Clemens J, Pollard A, Liu X. The validity of test-negative design for assessment of typhoid conjugate vaccine protection: comparison of estimates by different study designs using data from a cluster-randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Global Health 2025, 13: e1122-e1131. PMID: 40252689, PMCID: PMC12095117, DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(25)00056-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsTyphoid conjugate vaccineCluster randomised controlled trialJapanese encephalitis vaccineAge-eligible childrenCohort designTest-negative controlsStudy designTyphoid feverVaccine effectivenessHealth care seeking behaviorNon-vaccineesIncreased riskBlood culture-confirmed typhoid feverSalmonella enterica serotype TyphiCase-control study designNon-typhoidal infectionsVaccine protectionBlood culture specimensExperimental study designMiddle-income countriesObservational study designPublic health challengeChildren aged 9 monthsIncreased risk of typhoid feverRisk of typhoid feverCost-effectiveness analysis of alternative infant and neonatal rotavirus vaccination schedules in Malawi
Wenger C, Asare E, Kwon J, Li X, Mwinjiwa E, Chinkhumba J, Jere K, Hungerford D, Cunliffe N, Paltiel A, Pitzer V. Cost-effectiveness analysis of alternative infant and neonatal rotavirus vaccination schedules in Malawi. PLOS Global Public Health 2025, 5: e0004341. PMID: 40209158, PMCID: PMC11984971, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0004341.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDose of RotarixNeonatal vaccinationThird doseDisability-adjusted life yearsRotavirus vaccination strategiesVaccination strategiesVaccination scheduleRV3-BB vaccineRotavirus vaccine scheduleModerate-to-severeCurrent rotavirus vaccinesProbabilistic sensitivity analysesRV3-BBPrevent rotavirusRotavirus casesRotavirus vaccineWTP thresholdAlternate infantsVaccine impactSevere diarrheaWeeks of ageRotarixVaccine effectivenessCost-effectiveness analysisCost-effectiveRelating In Vivo Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection Kinetics to Host Infectiousness in Different Age Groups
Li K, Bont L, Weinberger D, Pitzer V. Relating In Vivo Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection Kinetics to Host Infectiousness in Different Age Groups. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2025, jiaf138. PMID: 40085821, DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf138.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsRespiratory syncytial virusViral kineticsAge groupsHigher peak viral loadRespiratory syncytial virus infectionPeak viral loadRespiratory syncytial virus transmissionHousehold transmission studyAge-specific considerationsViral loadSyncytial virusPediatric populationViral infectionPublic health concernSecondary attack rateProcess of viral infectionGlobal estimates of rotavirus vaccine efficacy and effectiveness: a rapid review and meta-regression analysis
Prunas O, Asare E, Sajewski E, Li Y, Pithawala Z, Weinberger D, Warren J, Armah G, Cunliffe N, Iturriza-Gómara M, Lopman B, Pitzer V. Global estimates of rotavirus vaccine efficacy and effectiveness: a rapid review and meta-regression analysis. EClinicalMedicine 2025, 81: 103122. PMID: 40115174, PMCID: PMC11925534, DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103122.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsRotavirus-associated gastroenteritisRotavirus vaccine efficacyPredicting vaccine efficacyVaccine efficacyVaccine effectivenessVaccine performanceNational rotavirus immunization programImpact of rotavirus vaccinationRotavirus immunization programAffecting young childrenBill &Meta-regression analysisRandomized controlled trialsSystematic review of studiesEstimates of vaccine effectivenessRotavirus morbidityMelinda Gates FoundationRotavirus vaccineCohort studyLicensed vaccinesVaccine trialsDecreased efficacyControlled trialsCase-controlLow-income settingsEstimated Effectiveness of Nirsevimab Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Xu H, Aparicio C, Wats A, Araujo B, Pitzer V, Warren J, Shapiro E, Niccolai L, Weinberger D, Oliveira C. Estimated Effectiveness of Nirsevimab Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus. JAMA Network Open 2025, 8: e250380. PMID: 40063022, PMCID: PMC11894488, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.0380.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsRSV-positive casesCase-control studyRSV infectionLRTI-associated hospitalizationsWeeks postimmunizationLong-acting monoclonal antibodiesTest-negative case-control studyClinical settingRespiratory syncytial virusMultivariate logistic regressionYale New Haven Health SystemRSV diseaseEmergency department dataState immunization registryRSV seasonSyncytial virusNirsevimabPolymerase chain reactionClinical trialsLRTIInfantsPotential confoundersMonoclonal antibodiesBroader outcomesDisease severityTime series data on typhoid fever incidence during outbreaks from 2000 to 2022
Koh D, Duong M, Kipshidze N, Pitzer V, Kim J. Time series data on typhoid fever incidence during outbreaks from 2000 to 2022. Scientific Data 2025, 12: 94. PMID: 39821093, PMCID: PMC11739417, DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-04289-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetric
2024
Impact of dosing schedules on performance of rotavirus vaccines in Ghana
Asare E, Al-Mamun M, Armah G, Lopman B, Pitzer V. Impact of dosing schedules on performance of rotavirus vaccines in Ghana. Science Advances 2024, 10: eadn4176. PMID: 39661683, PMCID: PMC11633732, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn4176.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsVaccine dosing schedulesDosing scheduleDoses of RV1Median percentage reductionImprove vaccine performanceRotavirus vaccine impactThird doseRotavirus vaccineRotarix vaccineVaccine impactAdditional doseVaccine effectivenessVaccine performanceVaccineRotavirusRV1Percentage reductionChildrenRotarixImpact of rotavirus vaccination in Malawi from 2012 to 2022 compared to model predictions
Pitzer V, Ndeketa L, Asare E, Hungerford D, Lopman B, Jere K, Cunliffe N. Impact of rotavirus vaccination in Malawi from 2012 to 2022 compared to model predictions. Npj Vaccines 2024, 9: 227. PMID: 39562592, PMCID: PMC11576906, DOI: 10.1038/s41541-024-01008-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsRotavirus-associated gastroenteritisRotavirus-negative childrenRotavirus-negative controlsImpact of rotavirus vaccinationVaccination coverageRotavirus vaccine impactAcute gastroenteritis casesNational immunization programPre-vaccination dataVaccine introductionRotavirus vaccineVaccine impactAcute gastroenteritisVaccine effectivenessGastroenteritis casesLow-income settingsImmunization programsVaccine
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Activities
activity Rotavirus vaccine impact in developing countries
01/01/2015 - 01/01/2019ResearchDetailsBangladesh; Ghana; MalawiAbstract/SynopsisWe are using a combination of statistical and mathematical modeling to predict the impact of rotavirus vaccination in developing countries, then validating our predictions against the observed impact of vaccination in Malawi and Ghana.
activity Rotavirus vaccine impact in Belgium
01/01/2013 - PresentResearchDetailsBelgiumAbstract/SynopsisIn collaboration with researchers in Belgium, we are using mathematical models to understand the impact of vaccination on the incidence and distribution of genotypes causing rotavirus gastroenteritis.
activity Typhoid fever dynamics and potential impact of vaccination
01/01/2012 - PresentResearchDetailsIndia; Malawi; Nepal +1 moreAbstract/SynopsisWe are using mathematical models to better understand epidemiological patterns in the incidence of typhoid fever, predict the potential impact of vaccination, and identify key questions for future field and laboratory studies.
News
News
- April 09, 2025
YSPH study shows viral ‘backbone’ influences rotavirus vaccine effectiveness
- February 29, 2024Source: The New York Times
Vaccines Didn’t Turn Back Mpox, Study Finds. People Did.
- November 08, 2023
Study Identifies Countries Vulnerable to Extensively Drug-resistant Typhoid
- October 02, 2023
Severe flooding linked to increased diarrhea risk in children
Get In Touch
Contacts
Academic Office Number
Locations
Public Health Modeling Unit
Academic Office
350 George Street, Rm C311
New Haven, CT 06511