Modelling the effects of pre-exposure and post-exposure vaccines in tuberculosis control

C P Bhunu, W Garira, Z Mukandavire, G Magombedze

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    29 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Epidemic control strategies alter the spread of the disease in the host population. In this paper, we describe and discuss mathematical models that can be used to explore the potential of pre-exposure and post-exposure vaccines currently under development in the control of tuberculosis. A model with bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination for the susceptibles and treatment for the infectives is first presented. The epidemic thresholds known as the basic reproduction numbers and equilibria for the models are determined and stabilities are investigated. The reproduction numbers for the models are compared to assess the impact of the vaccines currently under development. The centre manifold theory is used to show the existence of backward bifurcation when the associated reproduction number is less than unity and that the unique endemic equilibrium is locally asymptotically stable when the associated reproduction number is greater than unity. From the study we conclude that the pre-exposure vaccine currently under development coupled with chemoprophylaxis for the latently infected and treatment of infectives is more effective when compared to the post-exposure vaccine currently under development for the latently infected coupled with treatment of the infectives.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)633-49
    Number of pages17
    JournalJournal of Theoretical Biology
    Volume254
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 7 Oct 2008

    Keywords

    • Antitubercular Agents
    • Basic Reproduction Number
    • Carrier State
    • Computational Biology
    • Disease Outbreaks
    • Humans
    • Models, Biological
    • Tuberculosis
    • Tuberculosis Vaccines
    • Journal Article
    • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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