Darsh Gandhi / Mathematics / Faculty Mentor: Christopher Kribs
Oropouche virus (OROV) is a vector-borne arbovirus that has caused more than 500,000 infections in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Culicoides paraensis, the primary vector of the disease, acquires the virus from wild reservoir species and transmits it to humans when biting for blood meals. As outbreaks within the Amazon basin continue to occur and confirmed cases steadily increase, a proper understanding of the interplay between climatic variables, vector biology, and OROV transmission dynamics is crucial to develop effective public health interventions. In this work, we develop a novel mathematical model of Oropouche virus transmission dynamics in the Brazilian Amazon using non-autonomous ordinary differential equations (ODEs). We present qualitative analysis and quantitative results, with a focus on how seasonality influences midge biting rates and its impact on the prevalence of the disease. Our results offer insights into the conditions necessary for the persistence of OROV and underscore the significant role seasonality plays in influencing midge biting behavior.
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