Disease spread in age structured populations with maternal age effects

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Epidemiology
• Population Dynamics

Background:

• Ecological factors like extrinsic mortality shape population age structures.
• Population age structure is critical for disease dynamics, affecting transmission and spread.
• Individual susceptibility to disease can vary with age and be influenced by maternal factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the interplay between age-specific susceptibility, maternal age effects, and demographic factors in disease spread.
• To model how extrinsic mortality influences disease transmission potential in Daphnia magna.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a susceptible-infected (SI) compartmental model.
• Incorporated age-specific susceptibility and maternal age effects on offspring susceptibility.
• Analyzed demographic factors influencing disease spread.

Main Results:

• Daphnia magna offspring from younger mothers exhibited higher susceptibility to disease.
• Susceptibility to disease decreased with age in the studied Daphnia magna population.
• An increase in extrinsic mortality was linked to a rise in disease transmission potential.

Conclusions:

• Age and maternal effects significantly influence disease transmission dynamics.
• Increased extrinsic mortality can create conditions favoring disease spread in this system.
• The study identifies a realistic ecological scenario where age-related and maternal effects promote disease transmission.