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Published on: October 31, 2010
A dynamical optimal control theory and cost-effectiveness analyses of the HBV and HIV/AIDS co-infection model
Shewafera Wondimagegnhu Teklu1, Abushet Hayalu Workie1
1Department of Mathematics, Natural and Computational Sciences, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia.
Insights
This study introduces a new model for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) co-infection, including a protected group. Simultaneous application of control strategies effectively reduces co-infection spread.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Mathematical Biology
- Public Health
Background:
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) co-infection presents a significant public health challenge.
- Existing models often overlook a 'protected' compartment for individuals immune to both viruses.
- Optimal control theory and cost-effectiveness analysis are crucial for managing co-infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To formulate and analyze a novel HBV-HIV co-infection model incorporating a protected compartment.
- To apply optimal control theory and cost-effectiveness analysis to evaluate control strategies.
- To assess the impact of integrated protection and treatment interventions.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical computation of disease-free and endemic equilibrium points.
- Analysis of local and global asymptotic stability for disease-free equilibria.
- Reformulation of optimal control problems using Pontryagin's maximum principle.
- Numerical simulations using the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method (MATLAB ODE45).
Main Results:
- Disease-free equilibria are stable when effective reproduction numbers are below one.
- Simultaneous implementation of control strategies shows high potential for reducing co-infection.
- Cost-effectiveness analysis highlights HBV treatment and co-infection treatment as impactful.
Conclusions:
- The developed model provides a comprehensive framework for understanding HBV-HIV co-infection dynamics.
- Integrated control strategies, particularly treatment interventions, are effective in mitigating co-infection spread.
- The study underscores the importance of considering protected populations in epidemiological modeling.
Abstract:
Studies have shown that the co-infection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) poses a major threat to the public health due to their combined negative impacts on health and increased risk of complications. Even though, some scholars formulated and analyzed the HBV and HIV co-infection model they did not consider the compartment that contains protected individuals against both HBV and HIV infections. They incorporated the optimal control theory and cost-effectiveness analysis simultaneously. With this in mind, we are motivated to formulate and analyze the HBV and HIV co-infection model, considering the protected group and incorporating optimal control theory and cost-effectiveness. In this study, we have theoretically computed all of the models disease-free equilibrium points, all the models effective reproduction numbers and unique endemic equilibrium points. The two sub-models disease-free equilibrium points are locally as well as globally asymptotically stable whenever their associated effective reproduction numbers are less than one. We reformulated the optimal control problem by incorporating five time-dependent control measures and conducted its theoretical analysis by utilizing the Pontryagin's maximum principle. Using the fourth order Runge-Kutta numerical method and MATLAB ODE45, we performed the numerical simulations with various combinations of control efforts to verify the theoretical results and investigate the impacts of the suggested protection and treatment control strategies for both the HBV and HIV diseases. Also, we carried out a cost-effectiveness analysis of the proposed control strategies. Eventually, we compared our model results with other researcher similar model results whenever cost-effectiveness analysis is not carried out the findings of this particular study suggest that implementing each of the proposed control strategies simultaneously has a high potential to reduce and control the spread of HBV and HIV co-infections in the community. According to the cost-effectiveness analysis, implementing the HBV treatment and the HIV and HBV co-infection treatment measures has a high potential effect on reducing and controlling the HBV and HIV co-infection transmission problem in the community.

