Modeling Tick-Borne Zoonoses with Multi-Host and Multi-Vector Transmission Dynamics
Faraji Mohamed Tiraga·Nebeolisa Ernest Onwuneme·Kayode Oshinubi·Tosin Samuel Osikoya·Sefinat Bola Jaiyeola·Michael Ojodomo Okone
Tick-borne zoonotic diseases pose an escalating global health threat, yet existing mathematical models often oversimplify the complex multi-host, multi-vector transmission dynamics, particularly neglecting non-viraemic (co-feeding) transmission and differential immunity mechanisms across species. We developed a novel compartmental model explicitly incorporating five transmission pathways: tick-to-human, animal-to-animal, animal-to-tick, tick-to-animal, and non-viraemic tick-to-tick transmission.