Vertically Transmitted Diseases: Models and Dynamics

Infectious diseases are transmitted through various

different mechanisms including person to person

interactions, by insect vectors and via vertical

transmission from a parent to an unborn offspring. The

population dynamics of such disease transmission can be very

complicated and the development of rational strategies for

controlling and preventing the spread of these diseases

requires careful modeling and analysis.

The book describes current methods for formulating models

and analyzing the dynamics of the propagation of diseases

which include vertical transmission as one of the mechanisms

for their spread. Generic models that describe broad classes

of diseases as well as models that are tailored to the

dynamics of a specific infection are formulated and

analyzed. The effects of incubation periods, maturation

delays, and age-structure, interactions between disease

transmission and demographic changes, population crowding,

spatial spread, chaotic dynamic behavior, seasonal

periodicities and discrete time interval events are studied

within the context of specific disease transmission models.

No previous background in disease transmission modeling and

analysis is assumedand the required biological concepts and

mathematical methods are gradually introduced within the

context of specific disease transmission models. Graphs are

widely used to illustrate and explain the modeling

assumptions and results.

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