Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.6
2.2
Journals
Mathematics
Special Issues
Mathematical Epidemiology and Evolutionary Games
share announcement

Mathematical Epidemiology and Evolutionary Games

A special issue of Mathematics (ISSN 2227-7390). This special issue belongs to the section "E3: Mathematical Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 1206

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Pedro Henrique Triguis Schimit

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Informatics and Knowledge Management Graduate Program, Universidade Nove de Julho, São Paulo 01504-001, SP, Brazil
Interests: mathematical epidemiology; evolutionary game theory
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

During an epidemic outbreak, people change their habits and take personal actions to minimize the impact of the disease on their health and daily routines. These actions are the strategies people use to cope with the epidemic. Researchers have studied not only the analysis of the disease within the population but also how the evolution of individual strategies in a population affects the disease dynamics using models from the fields of mathematical epidemiology and evolutionary games.

Therefore, this Special Issue, entitled "Mathematical Epidemiology and Evolutionary Games", will consider novel articles that explore the evolution of population strategies and the dynamics of disease spread. Potential contributions should present mathematical studies on the following topics (among other related topics):

  • Epidemic modeling;
  • Evolutionary biology;
  • Evolutionary epidemiological processes;
  • Opinion dynamics;
  • Population dynamics;
  • Voluntary quarantine, isolation, and the use of masks.
  • Vaccination games.

Dr. Pedro Henrique Triguis Schimit
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Mathematics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • agent-based models
  • complex networks
  • disease invasion
  • epidemic models
  • epidemiology
  • evolutionary game theory
  • mathematical epidemiology
  • population dynamics
  • spatial games
  • vaccination game

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

18 pages, 573 KiB  
Article
A Game-Theoretic Model of Optimal Clean Equipment Usage to Prevent Hepatitis C Among Injecting Drug Users
by Kristen Scheckelhoff, Ayesha Ejaz and Igor V. Erovenko
Mathematics 2025, 13(14), 2270; https://doi.org/10.3390/math13142270 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 257
Abstract
Hepatitis C is an infectious liver disease which contributes to an estimated 400,000 deaths each year. The disease is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and is spread by direct blood contact between infected and susceptible individuals. While the magnitude of its [...] Read more.
Hepatitis C is an infectious liver disease which contributes to an estimated 400,000 deaths each year. The disease is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and is spread by direct blood contact between infected and susceptible individuals. While the magnitude of its impact on human populations has prompted a growing body of scientific work, the current epidemiological models of HCV transmission among injecting drug users treat risk behaviors as fixed parameters rather than as outcomes of a dynamic, decision-making process. Our study addresses this gap by constructing a game-theoretic model to investigate the implications of voluntary participation in clean needle exchange programs on the spread of HCV among this high-risk population. Individual drug users weigh the (perceived) cost of clean equipment usage relative to the (perceived) cost of infection, as well as the strategies adopted by the rest of the population, and look for a selfishly optimal level of protection. We find that the spread of HCV in this population can theoretically be eliminated if individuals use sterile equipment approximately two-thirds of the time. Achieving this level of compliance, however, requires that the real and perceived costs of obtaining sterile equipment are essentially zero. Our study demonstrates a robust method for integrating game theory with epidemiological models to analyze voluntary health interventions. It provides a quantitative justification for public health policies that eliminate all barriers—both monetary and social—to comprehensive harm-reduction services. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematical Epidemiology and Evolutionary Games)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 430 KiB  
Article
Resource Allocation in Multi-Objective Epidemic Management: An Axiomatic Analysis
by Jong-Chin Huang, Kelvin H.-C. Chen and Yu-Hsien Liao
Mathematics 2025, 13(13), 2182; https://doi.org/10.3390/math13132182 - 3 Jul 2025
Viewed by 184
Abstract
This study presents a novel game-theoretical framework designed to support epidemic management, with a specific focus on the allocation of limited resources across competing public health objectives and intervention strategies. Recognizing the varied roles and capacities of participatory agents, we model their involvement [...] Read more.
This study presents a novel game-theoretical framework designed to support epidemic management, with a specific focus on the allocation of limited resources across competing public health objectives and intervention strategies. Recognizing the varied roles and capacities of participatory agents, we model their involvement as occurring at multiple levels, reflecting the complex decision-making processes encountered in real-world situations. To account for the unequal influence or priority of different agents and strategies, we further propose a suite of weighted allocation measures grounded in well-established theoretical principles. In response to ongoing concerns over the arbitrariness of externally assigned weights, we also construct a refined metric based on endogenous marginal intervention effects, offering a more organically derived representation of participator impact. A series of illustrative examples demonstrates the practical relevance of these models, revealing how they can capture key dynamics such as behavioral diversity, the coexistence of overlapping policies, and logical independence under distinct weighting perspectives. Collectively, these contributions aim to provide epidemic response teams with a set of interpretable and adaptable tools tailored to the complexity of real-world public health crises. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematical Epidemiology and Evolutionary Games)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

30 pages, 435 KiB  
Review
Vaccination as a Game: Behavioural Dynamics, Network Effects, and Policy Levers—A Comprehensive Review
by Pedro H. T. Schimit, Abimael R. Sergio and Marco A. R. Fontoura
Mathematics 2025, 13(14), 2242; https://doi.org/10.3390/math13142242 - 10 Jul 2025
Viewed by 346
Abstract
Classical epidemic models treat vaccine uptake as an exogenous parameter, yet real-world coverage emerges from strategic choices made by individuals facing uncertain risks. During the last two decades, vaccination games, which combine epidemic dynamics with game theory, behavioural economics, and network science, have [...] Read more.
Classical epidemic models treat vaccine uptake as an exogenous parameter, yet real-world coverage emerges from strategic choices made by individuals facing uncertain risks. During the last two decades, vaccination games, which combine epidemic dynamics with game theory, behavioural economics, and network science, have become a very important tool for analysing this problem. Here, we synthesise more than 80 theoretical, computational, and empirical studies to clarify how population structure, psychological perception, pathogen complexity, and policy incentives interact to determine vaccination equilibria and epidemic outcomes. Papers are organised along five methodological axes: (i) population topology (well-mixed, static and evolving networks, multilayer systems); (ii) decision heuristics (risk assessment, imitation, prospect theory, memory); (iii) additional processes (information diffusion, non-pharmacological interventions, treatment, quarantine); (iv) policy levers (subsidies, penalties, mandates, communication); and (v) pathogen complexity (multi-strain, zoonotic reservoirs). Common findings across these studies are that voluntary vaccination is almost always sub-optimal; feedback between incidence and behaviour can generate oscillatory outbreaks; local network correlations amplify free-riding but enable cost-effective targeted mandates; psychological distortions such as probability weighting and omission bias materially shift equilibria; and mixed interventions (e.g., quarantine + vaccination) create dual dilemmas that may offset one another. Moreover, empirical work surveys, laboratory games, and field data confirm peer influence and prosocial motives, yet comprehensive model validation remains rare. Bridging the gap between stylised theory and operational policy will require data-driven calibration, scalable multilayer solvers, and explicit modelling of economic and psychological heterogeneity. This review offers a structured roadmap for future research on adaptive vaccination strategies in an increasingly connected and information-rich world. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematical Epidemiology and Evolutionary Games)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop