Opportunities in multiscale modeling of mosquito-borne flaviviruses

Area of Science:

• Virology and Epidemiology
• Mathematical Modeling
• Public Health

Background:

• Mosquito-borne flaviviruses (e.g., Zika, dengue) pose increasing global health risks.
• Climate change and urbanization facilitate mosquito expansion and disease outbreaks.
• Effective control strategies require a deep understanding of virus transmission dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review diverse mathematical modeling approaches for arboviruses.
• To highlight the influence of temperature on virus transmission and climate change impacts.
• To demonstrate how multiscale models integrate different biological processes for comprehensive insights.

Main Methods:

• Examination of microscale (cellular), mesoscale (within-host), and macroscale (population) models.
• Summary of differential equation-based methodologies for modeling viral dynamics.
• Analysis of temperature-dependent parameters influencing transmission rates.

Main Results:

• Mathematical models offer crucial insights into flavivirus replication and population spread.
• Temperature significantly impacts virus transmission, crucial for predicting climate change effects.
• Multiscale models effectively link viral replication, immune response, and infection dynamics.

Conclusions:

• Mathematical modeling is essential for understanding and controlling mosquito-borne flaviviruses.
• Integrating different scales provides a holistic view for developing interventions.
• This approach aids in vaccine development, disease control, and public health preparedness.