Spatial profiles of a reaction-diffusion epidemic model with nonlinear incidence mechanism and varying total population

Abstract

This paper considers a susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) epidemic reaction-diffusion model with no-flux boundary conditions and varying total population. The interaction of the susceptible and infected people is describe by the nonlinear transmission mechanism of the form $S^qI^p$, where $0<p\le 1$ and $q>0$. In [39], we have studied a model with a constant total population. In the current paper, we extend our analysis to a model with a varying total population, incorporating birth and death rates. We investigate the asymptotic profiles of the endemic equilibrium when the dispersal rates of susceptible and/or infected individuals are small. Our work is motivated by disease control strategies that limit population movement. To illustrate the main findings, we conduct numerical simulations and provide a discussion of the theoretical results from the view of disease control. We will also compare the results for the models with constant or varying total population.