An immune memory-structured SIS epidemiological model for hyperdiverse pathogens.

ABSTRACT: A hyperdiverse class of pathogens of humans and wildlife, including the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, relies on multigene families to encode antigenic variation. As a result, high (asymptomatic) prevalence is observed despite high immunity in local populations under high-transmission settings. The vast diversity of "strains" and genes encoding this variation challenges the application of established models for the population dynamics of such infectious diseases. Agent-based models have been formulated to address theory on strain coexistence and structure, but their complexity can limit application to gain insights into population dynamics. Motivated by P. falciparum malaria, we develop an alternative formulation in the form of a structured susceptible-infected-susce

SUBMITTER: de Roos AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10636369 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature