Individual-based modelling and control of bovine brucellosis

Authored by Erivelton G Nepomuceno, Alipio M Barbosa, Marcos X Silva, Matjai Perc

Date Published: 2018

DOI: 10.1098/rsos.180200

Sponsors: Slovenian Research Agency Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)

Platforms: Scilab

Model Documentation: Other Narrative Flow charts Mathematical description

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

We present a theoretical approach to control bovine brucellosis. We have used individual-based modelling, which is a network-type alternative to compartmental models. Our model thus considers heterogeneous populations, and spatial aspects such as migration among herds and control actions described as pulse interventions are also easily implemented. We show that individual-based modelling reproduces the mean field behaviour of an equivalent compartmental model. Details of this process, as well as flowcharts, are provided to facilitate the reproduction of the presented results. We further investigate three numerical examples using real parameters of herds in the Sao Paulo state of Brazil, in scenarios which explore eradication, continuous and pulsed vaccination and meta-population effects. The obtained results are in good agreement with the expected behaviour of this disease, which ultimately showcases the effectiveness of our theory.
Tags
Individual-based model Dynamics Brazil Prevalence Vaccination mathematical epidemiology epidemic model Strategies Simulation-model System State Bovine brucellosis Level risk-factors