The HIV-HCV co-infection dynamics in absence of therapy
Date
2019-08
Authors
Mayanja, Edison
Luboobi, Livingstone S.
Kasozi, Juma
Nsubuga, Rebecca
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Strathmore University
Abstract
HIV-HCV co-infection is whereby an individual is infected with both viruses HIV and HCV.
Globally, approximately 4 to 5 million people are co-infected with HIV and HCV. HCV
infection significantly causes morbidity and mortality among HIV patients. HCV is known to
progress faster and cause more liver-related health problems and death among people who are
HIV/AIDS positive than those who are negative. Co-infection with HCV complicates the
management of HIV/AIDS. Mathematical modeling generally provides an explicit framework
by which we can develop and communicate an understanding of transmission dynamics of an
infectious disease. In this article, a deterministic model is used in which ordinary differential
equations are formulated and analyzed to study the HIV-HCV co-infection dynamics in
absence of therapy. The findings reveal that the basic reproduction number for HIV-HCV co
infection dynamics is equal to the maximum of single-disease basic reproduction numbers.
This implies that the dynamics of the HIV-HCV co-infection will be dominated by the disease
with the bigger basic reproduction number
Description
Paper presented at the 5th Strathmore International Mathematics Conference (SIMC 2019), 12 - 16 August 2019, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya
Keywords
HIV-HCV, cc-infection, Basic reproduction number