Invasion and Persistence of Infectious Agents in Fragmented Host Populations
Author Information
Author(s): Jesse Marieke, Mazzucco Rupert, Dieckmann Ulf, Heesterbeek Hans, Metz Johan A. J.
Primary Institution: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University
Hypothesis
How can infectious agents invade and become endemic in fragmented host populations?
Conclusion
The study provides a method to calculate an invasion indicator for infectious agents in metapopulations, accounting for host demography and migration.
Supporting Evidence
- The study defines a new invasion indicator for infectious agents in metapopulations.
- It highlights the importance of host migration in understanding disease dynamics.
- The method can be applied to various epidemiological models.
Takeaway
This study helps us understand how diseases can spread in groups of animals that are separated into different areas, like how animals in different cities can still get sick from each other.
Methodology
The study uses metapopulation models to analyze the dynamics of infectious agents in fragmented host populations.
Limitations
The model assumes equal connectivity between patches and does not account for varying distances between them.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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