A MATHEMATICAL MODEL FOR HUMAN AND ANIMAL LEPTOSPIROSIS

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a SI model for the study of human and animal leptospirosis. Unlike other models for leptospirosis which consider only rodents as infection vectors, we consider that humans can be infected not only through contact with rodents, but also through any other animal that serves as a reservoir for the bacteria, and through contact with bacteria that are free in the environment. We calculate the basic reproductive number for this model, which is given in terms of the basic reproductive numbers of simpler subsystems of the original model, and propose some intervention techniques for controlling the disease based on our results.