Dynamics of a competing two-strain SIS epidemic model with general infection force on complex networks (Q2025404)

This paper studies a competing two-strain SIS epidemic model on complex networks with a general infection force. The spreading rates of the two strains 1 and 2 are \(\beta_1\) and \(\beta_2\), respectively. Accordingly, the recovery rates are \(\gamma_1\) and \(\gamma_2\). Let \(i_{ik}(t)\) and \(i_{2k}(t)\) be the densities of nodes at time \(t\) in the group with degree \(k\) infected by the two strains. The system is described by \(di_{1k}(t)/dt=(1-i_{1k}(t)-i_{2k}(t))g_1(k,\beta_1,\Theta_1(t))-\gamma_1i_{1k}(t)\) and \(di_{2k}(t)/dt=(1-i_{1k}(t)-i_{2k}(t))g_2(k,\beta_2,\Theta_2(t))-\gamma_2i_{2k}(t)\) for \(k\ge1\), where \(\Theta_1(t)\in[0,1]\) means the probability that a link pointing to an individual infected by strain 1 and similarly we have \(\Theta_2(t)\in[0,1]\). The reproduction numbers are obtained for the model. Based on the linear stability analysis, the stability of the disease-free and strain-dominant equilibria are studied. The conditions for coexistence of the two strains have be discussed. Some simulation results are obtained for scale-free network models to illustrate the theoretical results.