Journal of Vaccines & Vaccination

The role of vaccination and treatment in controlling infectious diseases: A mathematical outlook

6^th Euro Global Summit and Expo on Vaccines & Vaccination

August 17-19, 2015 Birmingham, UK

Raja Sekhara Rao Ponnada

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Vaccines Vaccin

Abstract:

This is the era of diseases. Almost every year we are struck by a new epidemic or disease making our survival more difficult.
Reasons are many. There are three basic ways of withstanding the attacks of diseases, namely, (i) early identification and
checking the spread of a disease; (ii) development of a suitable vaccine; and (iii) Medical treatment. First one is the best one – a
preventive measure. However this is possible only in a well prepared and developed society which is not the case with most of
the world. Vaccination is also a preventive measure. But we need to understand the structure and behavior of virus to prepare
suitable vaccine. It is useful only for susceptible population but not for the infected ones. Also arrival of vaccine-resistant strains
of viruses reduces its success. Diseases like AIDS and new viruses such as Ebola still await suitable vaccines. Here comes the role
of cure – treatment process. For chronic diseases such as Chagas, AIDS etc., treatment is the only way out. Thus, vaccination
and treatment work at two different stages and directions. In a recent exposition, the authors (the present speaker with Dr. M.
Naresh Kumar) have studied the influence of vaccination and treatment in checking the spread of diseases by formulating a
mathematical model under fairly general conditions. The model consists of susceptible, infected and recovered populations.
Parameters and functional relations of the model represent the various activities of the disease environment. Several conditions
on parameters and functions are obtained that force (i) a disease free environment or (ii) endemic environment. It is noticed
that treatment is playing a major role in controlling the disease when compared to the influence of vaccination especially
when the system is influenced by time delays in incubation. At the same time, an estimate on vaccination effort is provided for
creating a disease free environment. Numerical examples are provided to check the theoretical results. Thus, ‘an experiment
on paper’ is done. Owing to the ability of mathematics to interpret available information, predict for future and project for
all circumstances, the stage is well set to utilize outcomes of these mathematical results. This helps in designing appropriate
strategies for containing spread of diseases in a population