Some comparison results for multitype epidemic models

Abstract

We consider a model for the spread of an epidemic through a population divided into m groups, in which infectives move from group to group and infect only within their current group. For both deterministic and stochastic versions of this model, the effect on the total size of the epidemic of varying the speed with which infectives move between groups is considered. We also compare the distribution of the total size of this model with that of a suitably matched model in which infectives cannot move between groups, but are able to infect outside their own group.