Mathematical model of Diffusion-Advection for Zika

Abstract

Zika virus spreads to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus). Zika can also be passed through sex from a person who has Zika to his or her sex partners and it can be spread from a pregnant woman to her fetus. People can protect themselves from mosquito bites and getting Zika through sex. ZIKV continues to spread geographically to areas where competent vectors are present. Although a decline in cases of Zika virus infection has been reported in some countries, or in some parts of countries, vigilance needs to remain high. In this work we propose a mathematical model that uses diffusion-advection equations to study the impact of the Zika epidemic. We present a numerical scheme linked to the finite elements method (FEM) with finite differences to solve the model. The computer simulations are performed for Suriname and El Salvador which have different characteristics and allow us to extend the study to other regions.