Interplay of epidemic spreading and strategy-mixed awareness diffusion on multiplex networks

Abstract

In this paper, the interplay of epidemic spreading and the strategy-mixed awareness diffusion within the framework of multiplex networks is studied. In the model, epidemics can spread through a physical-contact layer and the awareness can diffuse through a virtual-contact layer. Each node on physical-contact layer is randomly matched one-to-one with a node of virtual-contact layer, but the connectivity is distinct in each of them. In view of the complexity of human behaviors, we assume that the diffusion of awareness is ruled by two mixed contagion dynamics: a fraction [Formula: see text] of individuals adopt the herd-like dynamics and the others follow the epidemic-like dynamics. We analyze the epidemic threshold based on the microscopic Markov chain approach. Meanwhile, combing with the Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, we show that the strategy-mixed awareness diffusion mechanism can enrich the dynamics of epidemic spreading, including the crossover phenomenon of the final epidemic size, the two-stage effect of the local awareness rate, and so forth.