An agent-based model for the transmission dynamics of Toxoplasma gondii
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| Title: | An agent-based model for the transmission dynamics of Toxoplasma gondii |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Jiang, Wen1,2, Sullivan, Adam M.1, Su, Chunlei3, Zhao, Xiaopeng1 xzhao9@utk.edu |
| Source: | Journal of Theoretical Biology. Jan2012, Vol. 293, p15-26. 12p. |
| Subjects: | Toxoplasma gondii, Pathogenic protozoa, Multiagent systems, Encephalitis, Parasite life cycles, Oocysts, Vertical transmission (Communicable diseases), Preventive medicine, Simulation methods & models, Microbial virulence, Laboratory mice |
| Abstract: | Abstract: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a unicellular protozoan that infects up to one-third of the world''s human population. Numerous studies revealed that a latent infection of T. gondii can cause life-threatening encephalitis in immunocompromised people and also has significant effects on the behavior of healthy people and animals. However, the overall transmission of T. gondii has not been well understood although many factors affecting this process have been found out by different biologists separately. Here we synthesize what is currently known about the natural history of T. gondii by developing a prototype agent-based model to mimic the transmission process of T. gondii in a farm system. The present model takes into account the complete life cycle of T. gondii, which includes the transitions of the parasite from cats to environment through feces, from contaminated environment to mice through oocysts, from mice to cats through tissue cysts, from environment to cats through oocysts as well as the vertical transmission among mice. Although the current model does not explicitly include humans and other end-receivers, the effect of the transition to end-receivers is estimated by a developed infection risk index. The current model can also be extended to include human activities and thus be used to investigate the influences of human management on disease control. Simulation results reveal that most cats are infected through preying on infected mice while mice are infected through vertical transmission more often than through infection with oocysts, which clearly suggests the important role of mice during the transmission of T. gondii. Furthermore, our simulation results show that decreasing the number of mice on a farm can lead to the eradication of the disease and thus can lower the infection risk of other intermediate hosts on the farm. In addition, with the assumption that the relation between virulence and transmission satisfies a normal function, we show that intermediate virulent lineages (type II) can sustain the disease most efficiently, which can qualitatively agree with the fact that the evolution of the parasite favors intermediate virulence. The effects of other related factors on transmission, including the latent period and imprudent behavior of mice, and prevention strategies are also studied based on the present model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier] |
| Copyright of Journal of Theoretical Biology is the property of Academic Press Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 69845909 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: An agent-based model for the transmission dynamics of Toxoplasma gondii – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jiang%2C+Wen%22">Jiang, Wen</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sullivan%2C+Adam+M%2E%22">Sullivan, Adam M.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Su%2C+Chunlei%22">Su, Chunlei</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhao%2C+Xiaopeng%22">Zhao, Xiaopeng</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> xzhao9@utk.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Theoretical+Biology%22">Journal of Theoretical Biology</searchLink>. Jan2012, Vol. 293, p15-26. 12p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Toxoplasma+gondii%22">Toxoplasma gondii</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pathogenic+protozoa%22">Pathogenic protozoa</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multiagent+systems%22">Multiagent systems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Encephalitis%22">Encephalitis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parasite+life+cycles%22">Parasite life cycles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Oocysts%22">Oocysts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vertical+transmission+%28Communicable+diseases%29%22">Vertical transmission (Communicable diseases)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preventive+medicine%22">Preventive medicine</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Simulation+methods+%26+models%22">Simulation methods & models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Microbial+virulence%22">Microbial virulence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Laboratory+mice%22">Laboratory mice</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Abstract: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a unicellular protozoan that infects up to one-third of the world''s human population. Numerous studies revealed that a latent infection of T. gondii can cause life-threatening encephalitis in immunocompromised people and also has significant effects on the behavior of healthy people and animals. However, the overall transmission of T. gondii has not been well understood although many factors affecting this process have been found out by different biologists separately. Here we synthesize what is currently known about the natural history of T. gondii by developing a prototype agent-based model to mimic the transmission process of T. gondii in a farm system. The present model takes into account the complete life cycle of T. gondii, which includes the transitions of the parasite from cats to environment through feces, from contaminated environment to mice through oocysts, from mice to cats through tissue cysts, from environment to cats through oocysts as well as the vertical transmission among mice. Although the current model does not explicitly include humans and other end-receivers, the effect of the transition to end-receivers is estimated by a developed infection risk index. The current model can also be extended to include human activities and thus be used to investigate the influences of human management on disease control. Simulation results reveal that most cats are infected through preying on infected mice while mice are infected through vertical transmission more often than through infection with oocysts, which clearly suggests the important role of mice during the transmission of T. gondii. Furthermore, our simulation results show that decreasing the number of mice on a farm can lead to the eradication of the disease and thus can lower the infection risk of other intermediate hosts on the farm. In addition, with the assumption that the relation between virulence and transmission satisfies a normal function, we show that intermediate virulent lineages (type II) can sustain the disease most efficiently, which can qualitatively agree with the fact that the evolution of the parasite favors intermediate virulence. The effects of other related factors on transmission, including the latent period and imprudent behavior of mice, and prevention strategies are also studied based on the present model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Theoretical Biology is the property of Academic Press Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2011.10.006 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 12 StartPage: 15 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Toxoplasma gondii Type: general – SubjectFull: Pathogenic protozoa Type: general – SubjectFull: Multiagent systems Type: general – SubjectFull: Encephalitis Type: general – SubjectFull: Parasite life cycles Type: general – SubjectFull: Oocysts Type: general – SubjectFull: Vertical transmission (Communicable diseases) Type: general – SubjectFull: Preventive medicine Type: general – SubjectFull: Simulation methods & models Type: general – SubjectFull: Microbial virulence Type: general – SubjectFull: Laboratory mice Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: An agent-based model for the transmission dynamics of Toxoplasma gondii Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jiang, Wen – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Sullivan, Adam M. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Su, Chunlei – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Zhao, Xiaopeng IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 21 M: 01 Text: Jan2012 Type: published Y: 2012 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00225193 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 293 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Theoretical Biology Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
