Modelling the Role of Treatment, Public Health Education, and Chemical Control Strategies on Transmission Dynamics of Schistosomiasis

Abstract

In this study, a mathematical model for the transmission dynamics and control of schistosomiasis is studied using a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The basic reproduction number ℛ 0 for the model is obtained, and its dependence on model parameters is discussed. Analytical results reveal that the disease-free equilibrium point is globally stable if and only if the basic reproduction number ℛ 0 < 1 , indicating that the disease would be wiped out of the community, and the endemic equilibrium point is globally stable if ℛ 0 > 1 and the disease would persist at the endemic steady state. Numerical simulations reveal that a combination of treatment, public health education, and chemical control intervention strategies significantly increased the number of susceptible human population and susceptible snail population while significantly decreasing the number of infected humans, miracidia, infected snails, and cercariae. The results further indicate that a combination of treatment, public health education, and chemical control intervention strategies can effectively manage the transmission of schistosomiasis in endemic areas.