Multiple endemic states in age-structured $SIR$ epidemic models

$SIR$ age-structured models are very often used as a basic model ofepidemic spread. Yet, their behaviour, under generic assumptions on contactrates between different age classes, is not completely known, and, in the mostdetailed analysis so far, Inaba (1990) was able to prove uniqueness of the endem...

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Main Authors: Andrea Franceschetti, Andrea Pugliese, Dimitri Breda
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIMS Press 2012-06-01
Series:Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering
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Online Access:https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/mbe.2012.9.577
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author Andrea Franceschetti
Andrea Pugliese
Dimitri Breda
author_facet Andrea Franceschetti
Andrea Pugliese
Dimitri Breda
author_sort Andrea Franceschetti
collection DOAJ
description $SIR$ age-structured models are very often used as a basic model ofepidemic spread. Yet, their behaviour, under generic assumptions on contactrates between different age classes, is not completely known, and, in the mostdetailed analysis so far, Inaba (1990) was able to prove uniqueness of the endemicequilibrium only under a rather restrictive condition.  &nbsp Here, we show anexample in the form of a $3 \times 3$ contact matrix in which multiplenon-trivial steady states exist. This instance of non-uniqueness of positiveequilibria differs from most existing ones for epidemic models, since it arisesnot from a backward transcritical bifurcation at the disease free equilibrium,but through two saddle-node bifurcations of the positive equilibrium.The dynamical behaviour of the model is analysed numerically around the range wheremultiple endemic equilibria exist; many other features are shown to occur, from coexistence of multiple attractive periodic solutions, some with extremely long period, to quasi-periodic and chaotic attractors.  &nbsp It is also shown that, if thecontact rates are in the form of a $2 \times 2$ WAIFW matrix, uniqueness of non-trivial steady states always holds, so that 3 is theminimum dimension of the contact matrix to allow for multiple endemic equilibria.
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spelling doaj-art-1a1fba684b6742d7ab686876d8b36cd22025-01-24T02:07:00ZengAIMS PressMathematical Biosciences and Engineering1551-00182012-06-019357759910.3934/mbe.2012.9.577Multiple endemic states in age-structured $SIR$ epidemic modelsAndrea Franceschetti0Andrea Pugliese1Dimitri Breda2Dept. Mathematics, Università di Trento, Via Sommarive 14, 38123 Povo (TN)Dept. Mathematics, Università di Trento, Via Sommarive 14, 38123 Povo (TN)Dept. Mathematics, Università di Trento, Via Sommarive 14, 38123 Povo (TN)$SIR$ age-structured models are very often used as a basic model ofepidemic spread. Yet, their behaviour, under generic assumptions on contactrates between different age classes, is not completely known, and, in the mostdetailed analysis so far, Inaba (1990) was able to prove uniqueness of the endemicequilibrium only under a rather restrictive condition.  &nbsp Here, we show anexample in the form of a $3 \times 3$ contact matrix in which multiplenon-trivial steady states exist. This instance of non-uniqueness of positiveequilibria differs from most existing ones for epidemic models, since it arisesnot from a backward transcritical bifurcation at the disease free equilibrium,but through two saddle-node bifurcations of the positive equilibrium.The dynamical behaviour of the model is analysed numerically around the range wheremultiple endemic equilibria exist; many other features are shown to occur, from coexistence of multiple attractive periodic solutions, some with extremely long period, to quasi-periodic and chaotic attractors.  &nbsp It is also shown that, if thecontact rates are in the form of a $2 \times 2$ WAIFW matrix, uniqueness of non-trivial steady states always holds, so that 3 is theminimum dimension of the contact matrix to allow for multiple endemic equilibria.https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/mbe.2012.9.577periodic and chaotic solutionsage-structured epidemic modelmultiple endemic equilibriafixed point index.numerical bifurcation analysis
spellingShingle Andrea Franceschetti
Andrea Pugliese
Dimitri Breda
Multiple endemic states in age-structured $SIR$ epidemic models
Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering
periodic and chaotic solutions
age-structured epidemic model
multiple endemic equilibria
fixed point index.
numerical bifurcation analysis
title Multiple endemic states in age-structured $SIR$ epidemic models
title_full Multiple endemic states in age-structured $SIR$ epidemic models
title_fullStr Multiple endemic states in age-structured $SIR$ epidemic models
title_full_unstemmed Multiple endemic states in age-structured $SIR$ epidemic models
title_short Multiple endemic states in age-structured $SIR$ epidemic models
title_sort multiple endemic states in age structured sir epidemic models
topic periodic and chaotic solutions
age-structured epidemic model
multiple endemic equilibria
fixed point index.
numerical bifurcation analysis
url https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/mbe.2012.9.577
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AT andreapugliese multipleendemicstatesinagestructuredsirepidemicmodels
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