Models for Vector-Borne Parasitic Diseases

Abstract

There are several reasons for concentrating on the class of vector-borne diseases from a modelling point of view:

• 1) They still figure among the health problems of highest priority in most countries outside Europe, North America and Australia;

• 2) They require specialized measures for prevention which are mostly directed against the vector populations with an aim to reduce contact between humans or contacts between the reservoir population(s) and humans;

• 3) The factors which regulate their transmission are usually known qualitatively so that dynamic modelling has a sound basis to start from;

• 4) Many quantitative problems have to be solved before alternative methods for prevention and control (already existing or to be developed) can be evaluated in a rational way.