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Cooperative coinfection dynamics on clustered networks
Peter Mann1, V Anne Smith1, John B O Mitchell1
1School of Computer Science, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SX, United Kingdom; School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, United Kingdom; and School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TH, United Kingdom.
Physical Review. E
|May 19, 2021
Summary
Contact clustering significantly impacts coinfection dynamics, influencing how two pathogens spread through a population. The specific network topology dictates the extent of coinfection and pathogen coexistence.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Network Science
- Mathematical Biology
Background:
- Coinfection occurs when a host infected with one pathogen acquires a second pathogen.
- Immunosuppression from a primary disease can enhance the spread of subsequent infections.
- Social contact patterns, often modeled by complex networks, critically affect disease dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of contact clustering on the dynamics of coinfection.
- To analyze how network topology affects the coexistence of two distinct pathogen strains.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the generating function formulation to model expected outbreak sizes for each pathogen.
- Employed numerical methods to study threshold criteria for pathogen coexistence.
- Examined coinfection dynamics on complex networks with varying clustering properties.
Main Results:
- Contact clustering plays a crucial role in determining coinfection levels.
- The specific details of the network's contact topology govern the impact of clustering.
- Threshold criteria for the coexistence of both pathogen strains are influenced by network structure.
Conclusions:
- Network contact topology is a key determinant of coinfection dynamics.
- Understanding clustering effects is essential for predicting the spread and coexistence of multiple pathogens.
- This study highlights the importance of network structure in epidemiological modeling.
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