The spatial diffusion of diseases (Q1298683)

An \(S\to E\to I\) model (\(S:=\) susceptible, \(E:=\) infected but not infectious, \(I:=\) infectious) is studied, taking into account nonlocal and spatial mechanism. By using the theory of linear semigroups, we study existence and uniqueness of the solution. Some general remarks about the results here obtained are reported in the last section. A paper related to this is that of \textit{S. N. Busenberg} and \textit{C. C. Travis} [J. Math. Biol. 16, 181-198 (1983; Zbl 0522.92020)], where the theory of semigroups is applied to \(S\rightleftarrows I\to R\) models \((R:=\) removed), but our mathematical model is different not only in the epidemiology, but also because it is not based on a closed population assumption. Moreover, there are some interesting analogies between the model we present here and the models proposed to study nonlinear neutron diffusion with poisoning effects. To investigate the well-posedness of this model we use the theory of semigroups for several reasons. First of all, semigroups allow us to simplify and unify the qualitative approach to the problem, and this is true also if we have to consider weak solutions. Moreover this approach is powerful also to study related stability or control problems, and by discretization of the semigroup operator we can readily have at our disposal an accurate numerical scheme.