Space and Genotype-Dependent Virus Distribution during Infection Progression

Abstract

The paper is devoted to a nonlocal reaction-diffusion equation describing the development of viral infection in tissue, taking into account virus distribution in the space of genotypes, the antiviral immune response, and natural genotype-dependent virus death. It is shown that infection propagates as a reaction-diffusion wave. In some particular cases, the 2D problem can be reduced to a 1D problem by separation of variables, allowing for proof of wave existence and stability. In general, this reduction provides an approximation of the 2D problem by a 1D problem. The analysis of the reduced problem allows us to determine how viral load and virulence depend on genotype distribution, the strength of the immune response, and the level of immunity.