Exploration of the Impact of Precipitation on Cholera Transmission Dynamics in Stream Networks

Seoyun Choe

University of Central Florida

"Exploration of the Impact of Precipitation on Cholera Transmission Dynamics in Stream Networks"

In 2022, a resurgence of the cholera outbreak emerged, posing a renewed threat to public health. It can be transmitted through indirect transmission (environment-to-person) by ingesting food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Since climate change is causing shifts in precipitation patterns globally, it can affect the movement of pathogens through stream networks and result in changes in disease dynamics. To investigate the impact of the change, we formulated a multi-patch model for cholera with precipitation level, which affects the stream network. We show the correlation between the basic reproduction and the level of precipitation analytically and numerically. Moreover, we investigated patch-specific optimal treatment strategies.
Additional authors: Dr. Zhisheng Shuai, University of Central Florida

---