Invaders vs antibodies: population dynamics of the Chagas' disease

G.J. SIBONA; C.A. CONDAT; S. COSSY ISASI

Huerta Grande, Cordoba

Workshop; LAWNP'99; 1999

Comite organizador ad hoc

We develop a model for the competitive interaction between an invading species and its antibodies. The model describes the acute phase of an infection, and we have applied it to the study of the dynamical competition between Trypanosoma cruzi and its antibodies in the Chagas’ disease. Depending on the antibody properties, the model yields three types of outcomes, corresponding, respectively, to healing, chronic disease, and host death. We have also considered the modifications introduced by the presence of parasite-generated decoys. The model can be used to suggest ways to optimize the efficiency of chemotherapy and vaccination procedures.