Modelling the effect of vertical transmission in the dynamics of HIV/AIDS in an age-structured population

Abstract

We use a continuous age-structured model of McKendrick-von-Foerster type to derive a two-age groups HIV/AIDS epidemic model. In the analysis of the model, keen interest is put on the role of vertical transmission in the dynamics of the spread of the epidemic. The model is analysed in two scenarios: the case when the force of infection is a constant and the case when we have it as a mass action. In the first case, the only possible equilibrium is the endemic equilibrium. In this situation, we show that if all babies born to infected mothers are HIV-free we have the basic reproductive number R0 = 0 and as such the epidemic will die out. In the second case, we show that both the disease-free and endemic equilibrium points exist. We also derive conditions for their stability.