The Mathematical model for tick population and tick-borne disease transmission dynamics in Korea

HeejinChoi

Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)

"The Mathematical model for tick population and tick-borne disease transmission dynamics in Korea"

Ticks are known as the important vectors that can carry and spread various tick-borne diseases by biting humans. Representative tick-borne diseases include Lyme disease, which is prevalent worldwide, tick-borne encephalitis, which is mainly prevalent in Europe and Africa, and Severe Fever Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS), one of the emerging infectious diseases spreading in East Asia. Among these tick-borne diseases, severe fever thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an infectious disease that was first recognized in the 2010s and has recently threatened human health. Since the disease was discovered less than 20 years ago, research on the ecology of vectors and transmission dynamics of SFTS is still insufficient. Therefore, in this study, we developed the stage-structured mathematical model for the population dynamics of Haemaphysalis longicornis (Asian Longhorned Ticks), the main vector transmitting SFTS, and extended the model to include the transmission dynamics of SFTS in Korea. Based on the model, we analyzed the impact of climate change on tick population with climate-dependent parameters in the model. Additionally, the effects of control measures have been investigated following the changes in the tick population, SFTS patients, and the costs associated with SFTS.
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