Effect of cross-immunity in a two-strain cholera model with aquatic component (Q6063832)

In the present paper, the authors examine the two serotype \textit{SIRP} model, considering the effect of seasonality by changing the environment-to-host transmission parameter to be a periodic function of time. They study the initial autonomous model analytically and also perform numerical investigations of the system and with and without periodic forcing. The basic reproduction number \(R_0\) is established, with the disease-free equilibrium globally asymptotically stable when the inequality \(R_0\leq 1\) holds. It is established that there exists two unstable single-strain (``boundary'') equilibria and a unique coexistence equilibrium when \(R_0>1\). While the complexity of the established coexistence equilibrium stifles proving convergence, they prove that the disease is uniformly persistent in the population. At first glance the complexity of the derived coexistence equilibrium stifles proving convergence, but the authors proved that the disease is uniformly persistent in the population. Furthermore, numerical simulations of the infectious host compartments of the autonomous system show damped, anti-phase oscillations which converge to equilibrium. Via simulations of the corresponding nonautonomous system they establish undamped solutions while synchronizing the oscillations of the two solutions, where the speed of synchronization depends on the degree of seasonality and cross-immunity present. In addition the authors use simulations to further study of the effects of the seasonal forcing, cross-immunity, multiple transmission pathways, and the impact of coinfection (or lack thereof) on the periodicity and phase shift of solutions.