Abstract
In this study, we apply optimal control theory to an immuno-epidemiological model of HIV and opioid epidemics. For the multi-scale model, we used four controls: treating the opioid use, reducing HIV risk behaviour among opioid users, entry inhibiting antiviral therapy, and antiviral therapy which blocks the viral production. Two population-level controls are combined with two within-host-level controls. We prove the existence and uniqueness of an optimal control quadruple. Comparing the two population-level controls, we find that reducing the HIV risk of opioid users has a stronger impact on the population who is both HIV-infected and opioid-dependent than treating the opioid disorder. The within-host-level antiviral treatment has an effect not only on the co-affected population but also on the HIV-only infected population. Our findings suggest that the most effective strategy for managing the HIV and opioid epidemics is combining all controls at both within-host and between-host scales.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 2317245 |
Journal | Journal of biological dynamics |
Volume | 18 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2024 |
Keywords
- Basic reproduction number
- HIV
- multi-scale model
- opioid epidemic
- optimal control
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Ecology