A model for mosquito-borne epidemic outbreaks with information-dependent protective behaviour

Fuente: arXiv
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Autores principales: De Reggi, Simone, Pugliese, Andrea, Sensi, Mattia, Soresina, Cinzia
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2025
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author De Reggi, Simone
Pugliese, Andrea
Sensi, Mattia
Soresina, Cinzia
author_facet De Reggi, Simone
Pugliese, Andrea
Sensi, Mattia
Soresina, Cinzia
contents We investigate a model for a mosquito-borne epidemic in which human hosts may adopt protective behaviour against vector bites in response to information on both past and current disease prevalence. Assuming that mosquitoes can also feed on non-competent hosts (i.e.\ hosts that do not contribute to disease transmission), we first revisit existing results and show that behaviour-driven protection may either decrease or increase the basic reproduction number, depending on the interaction between behavioural response, host composition, and transmission parameters. Assuming that opinion dynamics evolves on a much faster time scale than disease transmission, we then apply Geometric Singular Perturbation Theory to effectively reduce the original two-group model to a model for a homogeneous host population. The reduced system enables a detailed investigation of the impact of information-induced behavioural changes on the transient dynamics of the epidemic, including scenarios in which protective measures lead to outbreaks with low attack rates. Our analysis shows that behavioural responses may either facilitate epidemic control or prolong disease persistence, potentially generating recurrent damped epidemic waves. Numerical simulations are provided to illustrate and support the analytical findings.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_16802
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A model for mosquito-borne epidemic outbreaks with information-dependent protective behaviour
De Reggi, Simone
Pugliese, Andrea
Sensi, Mattia
Soresina, Cinzia
Populations and Evolution
Dynamical Systems
34E13, 34E15, 34C60, 37N25, 92D30
We investigate a model for a mosquito-borne epidemic in which human hosts may adopt protective behaviour against vector bites in response to information on both past and current disease prevalence. Assuming that mosquitoes can also feed on non-competent hosts (i.e.\ hosts that do not contribute to disease transmission), we first revisit existing results and show that behaviour-driven protection may either decrease or increase the basic reproduction number, depending on the interaction between behavioural response, host composition, and transmission parameters. Assuming that opinion dynamics evolves on a much faster time scale than disease transmission, we then apply Geometric Singular Perturbation Theory to effectively reduce the original two-group model to a model for a homogeneous host population. The reduced system enables a detailed investigation of the impact of information-induced behavioural changes on the transient dynamics of the epidemic, including scenarios in which protective measures lead to outbreaks with low attack rates. Our analysis shows that behavioural responses may either facilitate epidemic control or prolong disease persistence, potentially generating recurrent damped epidemic waves. Numerical simulations are provided to illustrate and support the analytical findings.
title A model for mosquito-borne epidemic outbreaks with information-dependent protective behaviour
topic Populations and Evolution
Dynamical Systems
34E13, 34E15, 34C60, 37N25, 92D30
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.16802