| Infectious diseases are an area of concern for the
human population. Recently, questions have been raised as to the
importance of spatial features on disease spread and how movement
patterns affect management strategies. The role of spatial
arrangements in a metapopulation on the spread and management
strategies of a cholera epidemic is investigated, considering how
the movement of individuals and water affects the optimal
vaccination strategy. For each metapopulation, the model has an
Susceptible-Infected- Recovered (SIR) system of differential
equations coupled with an equation modeling the concentration of
Vibrio cholerae in an aquatic reservoir. The model is used to
compare spatial arrangements and varying scenarios to draw
conclusions on how to effectively manage outbreaks. The work is
motivated by the recent cholera outbreak in Haiti. |