Special Session 84: Mathematical modeling and analysis in spatial ecology and epidemiology

Analysis of a reaction-diffusion epidemic model with vaccination
Rachidi B Salako
University of Nevada Las Vegas
USA
Co-Author(s):    G. Liu, Y. Lou
Abstract:
We conduct a detailed analysis of the asymptotic spatial profiles of positive steady states for a reaction-diffusion system modeling infectious diseases with vaccinated individuals. This allows us to systematically examine how restricted population movement influences disease dynamics, revealing several novel mathematical and biological phenomena. In particular, when the diffusion rates of both susceptible and infected populations tend to zero, disease eradication is possible provided the environment contains a nonempty low risk region. However, if only the diffusion rate of the infected population approaches zero, the disease becomes spatially localized in high-risk areas. Moreover, vaccination substantially reduces the region of infection persistence as the diffusion rate of infected individuals becomes sufficiently small.