Parasite invasion with decoy emission

G.J. SIBONA; C.A. CONDAT

Cocoyoc, Mexico

Workshop; LAWNP'01; 2001

Comité Organizador LAWNP

Invading parasites can generate decoys that hinder the immune system response. We present a model that describes the competing dynamics of parasite, antibody and decoy populations during the acute phase of an infection. In the absence of decoys, the model yields three different outcomes: depending on the antibodies and parasite properties the final result may be healing, death or chronic disease. The introduction of parasite-generated decoys makes a new type of outcome possible: cyclic chronic disease. We present phase portraits of the populations and study the stability of the solutions.