Analysis of a Mathematical Model of Zoonotic Visceral Leishmaniasis (ZVL) Disease

This research paper attempts to describe the transmission dynamic of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis with the aid of a mathematical model by considering the asymptomatic stages in humans and animals. The disease is endemic in several countries. Data used in the research are obtained from the literature while some are assumed based on the disease dynamic. The consideration of both asymptomatic and the symptomatic infected individuals is incorporated in both humans and animals (reservoir), as well as lines of treatment for the human population. It is found that the model has two fixed points; the VL-free fixed point and the VL-endemic fixed point. Stability analysis of the fixed points shows that the VL-free fixed point is globally asymptotically stable whenever the basic reproduction number is less than one and the VL-endemic fixed point is globally asymptotically stable whenever the basic reproduction number is greater than one. Sensitivity analysis is conducted for the parameters in the basic reproduction number, and the profile of each state variable is also depicted using the data obtained from the literature and those assumed. The transmission probability from infected sandflies to animals, transmission probability from infected animals to sandflies, per capita biting rate of sandflies of animals, and rate of transfer from symptomatic infected animals to the recovered class are among the most sensitive parameters that have the greatest influence on the basic reproduction number. Moreover, the value of the basic reproduction number is obtained to be 0.98951, which may require further study, as the margin between potential disease control and outbreak is thin.