Effect of predators of juvenile rodents on the spread of the hantavirus epidemic

Bull Math Biol. 2008 Jan;70(1):179-88. doi: 10.1007/s11538-007-9247-4. Epub 2007 Aug 11.

Abstract

Effects of predators of juvenile mice on the spread of the Hantavirus are analyzed in the context of a recently proposed model. Two critical values of the predation probability are identified. When the smaller of them is exceeded, the hantavirus infection vanishes without extinguishing the mice population. When the larger is exceeded, the entire mice population vanishes. These results suggest the possibility of control of the spread of the epidemic by introducing predators in areas of mice colonies in a suitable way so that such control does not kill all the mice but lowers the epidemic spread.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Computer Simulation
  • Disease Outbreaks / prevention & control*
  • Disease Vectors*
  • Hantavirus Infections / prevention & control
  • Hantavirus Infections / transmission*
  • Mice / virology*
  • Models, Biological*
  • Orthohantavirus / growth & development*
  • Predatory Behavior*