Mathematical model to assess vaccination and effective contact rate impact in the spread of tuberculosis.

The long and binding treatment of tuberculosis (TB) at least 6-8 months for the new cases, the partial immunity given by BCG vaccine, the loss of immunity after a few years doing that strategy of TB control via vaccination and treatment of infectious are not sufficient to eradicate TB. TB is an infectious disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Adults are principally attacked. In this work, we assess the impact of vaccination in the spread of TB via a deterministic epidemic model (SVELI) (Susceptible, Vaccinated, Early latent, Late latent, Infectious). Using the Lyapunov-Lasalle method, we analyse the stability of epidemic system (SVELI) around the equilibriums (disease-free and endemic). The global asymptotic stability of the unique endemic equilibrium whenever [Formula: see text] is proved, where [Formula: see text] is the reproduction number. We prove also that when [Formula: see text] is less than 1, TB can be eradicated. Numerical simulations, using some TB data found in the literature in relation with Cameroon, are conducted to approve analytic results, and to show that vaccination coverage is not sufficient to control TB, effective contact rate has a high impact in the spread of TB.

Understanding the poultry trade network in Kenya: Implications for regional disease prevention and control.

Infectious diseases in poultry can spread quickly and lead to huge economic losses. In the past decade, on multiple continents, the accelerated spread of highly pathogenic avian Influenza A (H5N1) virus, often through informal trade networks, has led to the death and culling of hundreds of millions of poultry. Endemic poultry diseases like Newcastle disease and fowl typhoid can also be devastating in many parts of the world. Understanding trade networks in unregulated systems can inform policy decisions concerning disease prevention and containment. From June to December 2008 we conducted a cross-sectional survey of backyard farmers, market traders, and middlemen in 5/8 provinces in Kenya. We administered a standardized questionnaire to each type of actor using convenience, random, snowball, and systematic sampling. Questionnaires addressed frequency, volume, and geography of trade, as well as biosecurity practices. We created a network diagram identifying the most important locations for trade. Of 380 respondents, 51% were backyard farmers, 24% were middlemen and 25% were market traders. Half (50%) of backyard farmers said they raised poultry both for household consumption and for sale. Compared to market traders, middlemen bought their poultry from a greater number of villages (median 4.2 villages for middlemen vs. 1.9 for market traders). Traders were most likely to purchase poultry from backyard farmers. Of the backyard farmers who sold poultry, 51% [CI 40-63] reported selling poultry to market traders, and 54% [CI 44-63] sold to middlemen. Middlemen moved the largest volume of poultry on a weekly basis (median purchases: 187 birds/week [IQR 206]; median sales: 188 birds/week [IQR 412.5]). The highest numbers of birds were traded in Nairobi - Kenya's capital city. Nairobi was the most prominent trading node in the network (61 degrees of centrality). Many smaller sub-networks existed as a result of clustered local trade. Market traders were also integral to the network. The informal poultry trade in Kenya is dependent on the sale of backyard poultry to middlemen and market traders. These two actors play a critical role in poultry movement in Kenya; during any type of disease outbreak middlemen should be targeted for control- and containment-related interventions.