Global Properties of a Diffusive SARS-CoV-2 Infection Model with Antibody and Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Immune Responses

Abstract

A severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can lead to morbidity and mortality. SARS-CoV-2 infects the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract and causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The immune system’s response plays a significant role in viral progression. This article develops and analyzes a system of partial differential equations (PDEs), which describe the in-host dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 under the effect of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) and antibody immune responses. The model characterizes the interplay between six compartments, healthy epithelial cells (ECs), latent infected ECs, active infected ECs, free SARS-CoV-2 particles, CTLs, and antibodies. We consider the logistic growth of healthy ECs. We first investigate the properties of the model’s solutions, then, we calculate all steady states and determine the conditions of their existence and global stability. The global asymptotic stability is examined by constructing Lyapunov functions. The analytical findings are supported via numerical simulations.