Analysis of a fractional order model for HPV and CT co-infection

Abstract

In this work, a fractional order model for human papillomavirus (HPV) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) co-infection is considered and analyzed. The existence and uniqueness of the model solutions are established through Banach and Schaefer’s fixed point theorem. The positivity and boundedness of the solutions are also proven using Mittag-Leffler function. Furthermore, we also show that the fractional model is Ulam–Hyers–Rassias stable. In conclusion, simulation results are presented for different control strategies and various fractional parameter values (ψ). Simulations of the model reveal that the population of individuals co-infected with HPV and CT decreases with increasing HPV screening rates (Λ1 and Λ2), at ψ=0.85. The CT only treatment strategy has positive population level impact on the number of infected individuals with HPV only. This strategy also has more positive population level impact on the HPV only new cases, as compared to the impact of the HPV screening strategy on CT only new cases. The population of individuals co-infected with HPV and CT decreases with increasing fractional order values ψ, when both HPV screening and CT treatment strategies are implemented.