Revista de Saúde Pública (Jun 2000)

Malaria transmission model for different levels of acquired immunity and temperature-dependent parameters (vector)

  • Hyun M Yang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/s0034-89102000000300003
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 34, no. 3
pp. 223 – 231

Abstract

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OBJECTIVE: Describe the overall transmission of malaria through a compartmental model, considering the human host and mosquito vector. METHODS: A mathematical model was developed based on the following parameters: human host immunity, assuming the existence of acquired immunity and immunological memory, which boosts the protective response upon reinfection; mosquito vector, taking into account that the average period of development from egg to adult mosquito and the extrinsic incubation period of parasites (transformation of infected but non-infectious mosquitoes into infectious mosquitoes) are dependent on the ambient temperature. RESULTS: The steady state equilibrium values obtained with the model allowed the calculation of the basic reproduction ratio in terms of the model's parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The model allowed the calculation of the basic reproduction ratio, one of the most important epidemiological variables.

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