Assessing the effects of homosexuals and bisexuals on the intrinsic dynamics of HIV/AIDS in heterosexual settings

Zindoga Mukandavire, Christinah Chiyaka, Gesham Magombedze, Godfrey Musuka, Noble J. Malunguza

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    19 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    A deterministic compartmental sex-structured HIV/AIDS model for assessing the effects of homosexuals and bisexuals on the intrinsic dynamics of the disease in heterosexual settings in which homosexuality and bisexuality issues have remained taboo is presented. The epidemic threshold and equilibria for the model are determined and stabilities are investigated. Comprehensive qualitative analysis of the model including invariance of solutions and permanence are carried out. The epidemic threshold known as the basic reproductive number suggests that heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality influence the growth of the epidemic in HIV/AIDS affected populations and the partial reproductive number (homosexuality induced or heterosexuality and bisexuality induced) with the larger value influences the overall dynamics of the epidemic in a setting. Numerical simulations of the model show that as long as one of the partial reproductive numbers is greater than unity, the disease will exist in the population. We conclude from the study that homosexuality and bisexuality enlarge the epidemic in a heterosexual setting. The theoretical study highlights the need to carry out substantial research to map homosexuals and bisexuals as it has remained unclear as to what extent this group has contributed to the epidemic in heterosexual settings especially in southern Africa, which has remained the epidemiological locus of the epidemic.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1869-1882
    Number of pages14
    JournalMathematical and Computer Modelling
    Volume49
    Issue number9-10
    Early online date23 Jan 2009
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - May 2009

    Keywords

    • Bisexual
    • HIV/AIDS model
    • Heterosexual
    • Homosexual
    • Permanence
    • Reproductive number
    • Stability

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