Virginia Pitzer, ScD
Professor of Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases)Cards
Additional Titles
Co-director, Public Health Modeling Concentration
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
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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.
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
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Overview
Medical Research Interests
Public Health Interests
ORCID
0000-0003-1015-2289- View Lab Website
Pitzer lab
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Daniel Weinberger, PhD
Ernest Asare, PhD
Joshua Warren, PhD
Deus Thindwa, PhD
Nathan Grubaugh, PhD
Jiye Kwon, MPH
Typhoid Fever
Rotavirus
Global Health
Immunization
Publications
2026
Utilizing virus genomic surveillance to predict vaccine effectiveness
Kwon J, Li K, Warren J, Pandya S, Hahn A, Initiative Y, Pitzer V, Weinberger D, Grubaugh N. Utilizing virus genomic surveillance to predict vaccine effectiveness. PLOS Computational Biology 2026, 22: e1014329. PMID: 42189851, PMCID: PMC13258143, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014329.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchQuantifying relative health impact across Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance's portfolio in 117 countries at the subregional level: a modelling study
Gaythorpe K, Li X, Shankar M, Hartner A, Gibney Z, Abbas K, Abeysuriya R, Alam C, Auzenbergs M, Azman A, Barasa E, Costello A, Ferrari M, Fraser K, Fu H, Haile L, Kakaï R, Karachaliou-Prasinou A, Lee E, Katama E, Kim J, Jit M, Liu Y, Malinga J, Moore S, Nayagam S, Nedjati-Gilani G, Okell L, Onifade A, Papadopoulos T, Penny M, Perkins T, Pitzer V, Portnoy A, Procter S, Saraswati C, Scott N, Seaman C, Shattock A, Sim S, Tran Q, Vynnycky E, Winter A, Hinsley W, Ferguson N, Trotter C. Quantifying relative health impact across Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance's portfolio in 117 countries at the subregional level: a modelling study. The Lancet 2026, 407: 1941-1952. PMID: 42134355, DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(26)00555-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricCorrection: Leveraging paired serology to estimate the incidence of typhoidal Salmonella infection in the STRATAA study
Walker J, Russell P, Kermack L, Van T, Nga T, Mylona E, Camara S, Kim Y, Shrestha S, Gehlhaar A, Scott J, Khanam F, Shakya M, Thindwa D, Gordon M, Basnyat, Clemens J, Qadri F, Heyderman R, Dolecek C, Tonks S, Darton T, Pollard A, Baker S, Meiring J, Voysey M, Pitzer V, Group A. Correction: Leveraging paired serology to estimate the incidence of typhoidal Salmonella infection in the STRATAA study. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2026, 20: e0014219. PMID: 41984781, PMCID: PMC13082592, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0014219.Commentaries, Editorials and LettersBurden of Shigella and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli infections among children under 5 years in Ethiopia, Kenya and Malawi: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Mwendera C, Yilma M, Wairimu C, Kering K, Mwinjiwa E, Kariuki J, Asrat D, Mekasha A, Msefula C, Kariuki S, Cornick J, Clough H, French N, Pitzer V, Jere K, Hungerford D. Burden of Shigella and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli infections among children under 5 years in Ethiopia, Kenya and Malawi: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Global Health 2026, 11: e018515. PMID: 41771662, PMCID: PMC12958989, DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-018515.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsCitationsEstimating the burden of RSV- and influenza-associated ED visits, hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths across age and socioeconomic groups in New York State, 2005–2019
Xu H, Pitzer V, Warren J, Shapiro E, Perniciaro S, Weinberger D. Estimating the burden of RSV- and influenza-associated ED visits, hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths across age and socioeconomic groups in New York State, 2005–2019. BMC Infectious Diseases 2026, 26: 415. PMID: 41606523, PMCID: PMC12924248, DOI: 10.1186/s12879-026-12574-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsQuantifying the Impact of Switching From Rotarix to Rotavac Rotavirus Vaccine in Ghana
Asare E, Lartey B, Armah G, Pitzer V. Quantifying the Impact of Switching From Rotarix to Rotavac Rotavirus Vaccine in Ghana. Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2026, 233: e1253-e1260. PMID: 41499457, PMCID: PMC13175613, DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiag003.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
2025
Leveraging paired serology to estimate the incidence of typhoidal Salmonella infection in the STRATAA study
Walker J, Russell P, Kermack L, Van T, Nga T, Mylona E, Camara S, Kim Y, Shrestha S, Gehlhaar A, Scott J, Khanam F, Shakya M, Thindwa D, Gordon M, Basnyat, Clemens J, Qadri F, Heyderman R, Dolecek C, Tonks S, Darton T, Pollard A, Baker S, Meiring J, Voysey M, Pitzer V, Group A. Leveraging paired serology to estimate the incidence of typhoidal Salmonella infection in the STRATAA study. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2025, 19: e0013612. PMID: 41066482, PMCID: PMC12527133, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0013612.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsUnraveling the role of viral interference in disrupting biennial RSV epidemics in northern Stockholm
Li K, Hamrin J, Nilsson A, Weinberger D, Pitzer V. Unraveling the role of viral interference in disrupting biennial RSV epidemics in northern Stockholm. Nature Communications 2025, 16: 8137. PMID: 40885786, PMCID: PMC12398580, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63654-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricHow well do disease-specific studies and WHO-CHOICE cost estimates align? Example of estimating cost per episode of diarrhoea and respiratory syncytial virus in 128 low-income and middle-income countries
Li X, Bilcke J, Asare E, Wenger C, Kwon J, Bont L, Beutels P, Pitzer V. How well do disease-specific studies and WHO-CHOICE cost estimates align? Example of estimating cost per episode of diarrhoea and respiratory syncytial virus in 128 low-income and middle-income countries. BMJ Global Health 2025, 10: e016784. PMID: 40850784, PMCID: PMC12382583, DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-016784.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsInterplay between the gut microbiome and typhoid fever: insights from endemic countries and a controlled human infection model
Ashton P, Mageiros L, Meiring J, Chunga-Chirambo A, Khanam F, Dongol S, Banda H, Karkey A, Preciado-Llanes L, Thomaides-Brears H, Gibani M, Rajib N, Rahman N, Biswas P, Bhuiyan M, Kay S, Auger K, Seret O, Thomson N, Pollard A, Baker S, Basnyat B, Clemens J, Dolecek C, Dunstan S, Dougan G, Heyderman R, Pitzer V, Qadri F, Gordon M, Holt K, Darton T. Interplay between the gut microbiome and typhoid fever: insights from endemic countries and a controlled human infection model. Microbiome 2025, 13: 168. PMID: 40696437, PMCID: PMC12281769, DOI: 10.1186/s40168-025-02125-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
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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
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News
- March 17, 2026Source: Hartford Courant
Opinion: Vaccination is not just about personal choice in CT or elsewhere
- July 21, 2025
New YSPH Pilot Grants Support Innovative Interdisciplinary Research
- 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.
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Locations
Public Health Modeling Unit
Academic Office
350 George Street, Rm C311
New Haven, CT 06511