Search Results (201)

A spatiotemporal transmission epidemic model is proposed based on human mobility, spatial factors of population migration across multiple regions, individual protection, and government quarantine measures. First, the model’s basic reproduction number and disease-free equilibrium are derived, and the relationship between the basic reproduction number in a single region and that across multiple regions is explored. Second, the global asymptotic stability of both the disease-free equilibrium and the endemic equilibrium is proved by constructing a Lyapunov function. The impact of population migration on the spread of the virus is revealed by numerical simulations, and the global sensitivity of the model parameters is analyzed for a single region. Finally, a protection isolation strategy based on the optimal path is proposed. The experimental results indicate that increasing the isolation rate, improving the treatment rate, enhancing personal protection, and reducing the infection rate can effectively prevent and control the spread of the epidemic. Population migration accelerates the spread of the virus from high-infected areas to low-infected areas, aggravating the epidemic situation. However, effective public health measures in low-infected areas can prevent transmission and reduce the basic reproduction number. Furthermore, if the inflow migration rate exceeds the outflow rate, the number of infected individuals in the region increases. Full article

The monkeypox virus (MPXV) has spread globally, posing a severe challenge to global public health. This study systematically evaluated the aerosol shedding dynamics of the epidemic Clade IIb MPXV strain in infected young rabbits, along with its direct contact and airborne transmission potential among them. We found that young rabbits could be experimentally infected with MPXV, exhibiting distinct pathogenic features and viral shedding patterns. Young rabbits infected with MPXV shed the virus through nasal secretions and exhaled aerosols, peaking at 7 dpi. In total, 89–95.8% of virus-laden respiratory particles had a diameter ≥4.7 μm. Notably, MPXV can be efficiently shed and transferred among young rabbits through direct contact and airborne routes. The nasal secretions and exhaled virus particles from donor rabbits can be contacted or inhaled by recipient rabbits. Large amounts of viral DNA were detected in the nasal wash of rabbits exposed to contact or airborne exposure. Furthermore, virus particles invade the lungs, causing pathological changes and disseminating them to multiple organs. However, no infectious virus was successfully recovered from these recipient rabbits, as their exposed or inhaled MPXV dose might have been below the MPXV’s minimum infectious dose for young rabbits. These findings indicate that although the airborne transmissibility of the current MPXV strain is relatively limited, inhalation of viral particles following airborne exposure can still result in bodily damage. Continuous monitoring of MPXV transmissibility and mutation evolution is imperative to prevent efficient respiratory aerosol transmission, which guides global monkeypox prevention and control strategies. Full article

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), a major pathogen causing substantial economic losses in the global swine industry, was studied in southern Xinjiang to characterize its local epidemic features. Based on 632 clinical samples collected from 13 pig farms between 2023 and 2025, quantitative RT-PCR detection showed an overall positivity rate of 18.35% (116/632), with PRRSV-2 single infection accounting for 97.41% (113/116), PRRSV-1 single infection for 1.72% (2/116), and co-infection for 0.86% (1/116). Among 38 ORF5 sequences obtained from positive samples, Sublineage 1.8 (NADC30-like) was dominant, comprising 97.14% of successfully sequenced strains. Molecular analysis revealed that PRRSV-1 isolates carried six amino acid mutations including A129V (consistent with the Chinese strain CN/FJFQ-1/2023), while PRRSV-2 strains exhibited key variations such as the neutralization escape mutation Q13R, virulence-associated site K151R, and an anomalous vaccine marker A137. Furthermore, a recombinant strain (XJLETUQ2025-7) between NADC30 and VR-2332 was identified with breakpoints in NSP2 and NSP10. Serological surveillance of 2043 vaccinated pigs showed an overall antibody positive rate of 83.0% (1696/2043), with increasing annual rates from 72.3% (2023) and 75.4% (2024) to 91.3% (2025). In conclusion, the PRRSV epidemic in southern Xinjiang is primarily driven by NADC30-like strains of PRRSV-2, with recombination events and GP5 epitope variations posing challenges to disease control. These findings enhance the epidemiological understanding of PRRSV in the region and provide valuable insights for vaccine development and prevention strategies. Full article

This study investigates the dynamic behavior of a discrete epidemic model as affected by media coverage through integrated analytical and numerical methods. The main objective is to quantitatively assess the impact of media coverage on disease outbreak models through mathematical modeling. We use the central manifold theorem and bifurcation theory to perform a rigorous analysis of the periodic solutions, focusing on the coefficients and conditions governing the flip bifurcation. On this basis, state feedback and hybrid control are utilized to control the system chaotically. Under certain conditions, the chaos and bifurcation of the system can be stabilized by the control strategy. Numerical simulations further reveal the bifurcation dynamics, chaotic behavior, and control techniques. Our results show that media coverage is a key factor in regulating the intensity and chaos of disease transmission. Control techniques can effectively prevent large-scale outbreaks of epidemics. Notably, enhanced media coverage can effectively increase public awareness and defensive behaviors, thus contributing to mitigating disease spread. Full article

This study investigates the dynamic behaviors of the discrete epidemic model influenced by media coverage through integrated analytical and numerical approaches. The primary objective is to quantitatively assess the impact of media coverage on disease outbreak patterns using mathematical modeling. Firstly, the Euler method is used to discretize the model (2), and the periodic solution is strictly analyzed. Secondly, the coefficients and conditions of restricted flip and Neimark–Sacker bifurcation are studied by using the center manifold theorem and bifurcation theory. By calculating the largest Lyapunov exponent near the critical bifurcation point, the occurrence of chaos and limit cycles is proved. On this basis, the chaotic control of the system is carried out by using state feedback and hybrid control. Under certain conditions, the chaos and bifurcation of the system can be stabilized by control strategies. Numerical simulations further reveal bifurcation dynamics, chaotic behaviors, and control technologies. Our results show that media coverage is a key factor in regulating the intensity of disease transmission and chaos. The control technology can effectively prevent the large-scale outbreak of epidemic diseases. Importantly, enhanced media coverage can effectively promote public awareness and defensive behaviors, thereby contributing to the mitigation of disease transmission. Full article

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) experienced an unprecedented global outbreak in 2022, characterized by a significant departure from historical patterns: a rapid spread of the epidemic to more than 110 non-traditional endemic countries, with more than 90,000 confirmed cases; a fundamental shift in the mode of transmission, with human-to-human transmission (especially among men who have sex with men (MSM)) becoming the dominant route (95.2%); and genetic sequencing revealing a key adaptive mutation in a novel evolutionary branch (Clade IIb) that triggered the outbreak. These features highlight the significant evolution of MPXV in terms of host adaptation, transmission efficiency, and immune escape ability. The aim of this paper is to provide insights into the viral adaptive evolutionary mechanisms driving this global outbreak, with a particular focus on the role of immune escape (e.g., novel mechanisms of M2 proteins targeting the T cell co-stimulatory pathway) in enhancing viral transmission and pathogenicity. At the same time, we systematically evaluate the cross-protective efficacy and limitations of existing vaccines (ACAM2000, JYNNEOS, and LC16), as well as recent advances in novel vaccine platforms, especially mRNA vaccines, in inducing superior immune responses. The study further reveals the constraints to outbreak control posed by grossly unequal global vaccine distribution (e.g., less than 10% coverage in high-burden regions such as Africa) and explores the urgency of optimizing stratified vaccination strategies and facilitating technology transfer to promote equitable access. The core of this paper is to elucidate the dynamic game between viral evolution and prevention and control strategies (especially vaccines). The key to addressing the long-term epidemiological challenges of MPXV in the future lies in continuously strengthening global surveillance of viral evolution (early warning of highly transmissible/pathogenic variants), accelerating the development of next-generation vaccines based on new mechanisms and platforms (e.g., multivalent mRNAs), and resolving the vaccine accessibility gap through global collaboration to build an integrated defense system of “Surveillance, Research and Development, and Equitable Vaccination,” through global collaboration to address the vaccine accessibility gap. Full article

The global fight against HIV/AIDS has been significantly bolstered by the development and implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), yet innovation in PrEP interventions, improved adherence and greater access are still needed to maximize its benefit. Nonhuman primate (NHP) infection with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) has served as an instrumental animal model in advancing HIV PrEP research. This review comprehensively examines the utility of NHP models in evaluating the efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and safety of diverse PrEP strategies, including oral, injectable, implantable, and topical formulations. It discusses the development of diverse challenge models that simulate human transmission routes and the advantages of NHPs in enabling controlled and mechanistically informative studies. It also highlights the successful translation of pivotal NHP studies evaluating tenofovir-based regimens as well the long-acting agents, cabotegravir and lenacapavir, into the clinical settings, emphasizing the consistently high predictive power of the NHP models for the HIV PrEP clinical efficacy. Finally, it underscores the importance of species-specific pharmacologic considerations and the value of NHP data in informing clinical trial design. As the global community strives to end the HIV epidemic as a public health threat in the absence of an efficacious prophylactic vaccine, NHP models make a critical contribution in the development of next-generation HIV prevention tools. Full article

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is defined by a combination of metabolic abnormalities, such as central obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, and significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. The high prevalence of MetS is a public health concern, necessitating rapid identification and intervention strategies to prevent this emerging epidemic. Diagnosing MetS requires the presence of three or more of these abnormalities, underscoring the need for effective management approaches. Despite a growing body of literature, limited reviews have critically evaluated the complex interplay between metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, and coagulation, particularly in the context of dietary interventions. Therefore, this article reviews the relationship between metabolic syndrome, inflammation, and thrombotic diseases, with an emphasis on their impacts on hematological health. Furthermore, this review explores the potential role of vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns in controlling these processes and improving hematological outcomes. This narrative review aims to critically evaluate current research on the inflammatory and thrombotic implications of MetS and assess the potential modulating role of vegan and plant-based diets within this context. Full article

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a primary pathogen responsible for viral diarrhea in swine. The identification of host resistance genes and key regulatory elements represents a critical prerequisite for developing novel control strategies. Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), a multi-functional transcription factor, is known to regulate pathogenic infections; however, its specific roles in PEDV infection remain largely undefined. In this study, we found that KLF4 expression was upregulated following PEDV infection. Next, we constructed KLF4 knockout and overexpression cells and infected them with PEDV. The results show that viral RNA and protein expression levels and infectious viral titers were significantly enhanced in PEDV-infected KLF4 knockout cells compared to infected wild-type cells. In contrast, PEDV infection levels were significantly decreased in KLF4 overexpression cells relative to control cells. Transcriptomic analysis reveals that KLF4 significantly influences the expression of genes involved in key signaling pathways, including PI3K/Akt and MAPK. Overall, our findings elucidate the functional roles and underlying mechanisms of KLF4 during PEDV infection, offering valuable molecular targets for PEDV prevention and control. Full article

Background/Objectives: Syphilis, a re-emerging global public health issue, has shown increasing incidence over the past decade, particularly among key populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM), people living with HIV, and pregnant women. This narrative review aimed to synthesize global epidemiological trends of syphilis from 2015 to 2025, with a focus on surveillance gaps, regional disparities, and structural determinants. Methods: A broad narrative approach was used to collect and analyze epidemiological data from 2015 to 2025. The literature was retrieved from databases (PubMed, Scopus) and official reports from the WHO, CDC, and ECDC. Included materials span observational studies, surveillance reports, and modeling data relevant to global trends and public health responses. Results: Globally, syphilis incidence has increased, with notable surges in North America, Europe, and Asia. MSM remain disproportionately affected, while congenital syphilis is resurging even in high-income countries. Low- and middle-income countries report persistent burdens, especially among women of reproductive age, often exacerbated by limited screening and surveillance infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted syphilis-related services and further exacerbated underreporting, hindering timely detection and response efforts. Surveillance systems vary widely in their completeness and quality, which significantly hinders global data comparability and coordinated public health responses. Conclusions: Despite its curability, syphilis continues to spread due to fragmented prevention strategies, inequities in access to care, and insufficient surveillance. Strengthening diagnostic access, integrating prevention efforts into broader health systems, and addressing social determinants are essential. Improved surveillance, equitable access, and innovation—including diagnostics and potential vaccine research—are critical to controlling the global syphilis epidemic. Full article

In this paper, we present a mathematical model, $M_{siqr}$, to analyze the dynamics of mobile malware propagation in smartphone networks. The model segments the mobile device population into susceptible, exposed, infected, quarantined, and recovered compartments, integrating critical control parameters such as infection and quarantine rates. The analytical results include the derivation of the basic reproduction number, $R_0$, along with equilibrium and stability analyses that provide insights into long-term system behavior. A focused scenario analysis compares the baseline dynamics with a more aggressive malware variant and a more effective quarantine response. The results show that increased infectivity sharply escalates the peak of infection, while enhanced quarantine measures effectively suppress it. This highlights the importance of prompt containment strategies even under more virulent conditions. The sensitivity analysis identifies the infection rate as the most influential parameter driving peak infection, while the quarantine rate exerts the most significant dampening effect. Monte Carlo simulations of parameter uncertainty reveal a consistently high epidemic potential across varied conditions. A parameter sweep across the infection–quarantine space further maps out the conditions under which malware outbreaks can be mitigated or prevented. Overall, the model demonstrates that mobile malware poses sustained epidemic risk under uncertainty, but effective control parameters—particularly quarantine—can drastically alter outbreak trajectories. Full article

Against the backdrop of frequent public health emergencies caused by infectious diseases, it is urgent to evaluate the importance of urban epidemic prevention by integrating population mobility networks. In this study, a comprehensive evaluation index system is constructed based on a population mobility network, and the improved entropy weight method and analytic hierarchy process are used to obtain the comprehensive weights. The weight imbalance problem of traditional methods is solved by introducing community structure weighting and subjective weight. We establish a Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS)-based evaluation model named city importance evaluation based on the division of communities and TOPSIS (CICT) for the importance of urban epidemic prevention and simulate the model using data from 297 cities in China. It can rank indicators that affect the importance of cities in infectious disease prevention and control and identify key cities for infectious disease prevention and control. The influence of various indicators on the evaluation objectives vary during different investigation periods, but the entropy weights of confirmed cases, hospital beds, and practicing (assistant) physicians remain at a high level. Cities with a high number of confirmed cases consistently rank at the top in the comprehensive evaluation, but this model can also identify potential key cities with fewer confirmed cases. These cities require key management during the outbreak of infectious diseases. The evaluation model can scientifically assess the epidemic prevention significance of cities, improve the efficiency of public health emergency management, and provide quantitative support for formulating urban epidemic control strategies, promoting resource optimization allocation, and implementing targeted measures. Full article

Over the past decade, diseases associated with fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) have exhibited a new epidemic trend worldwide. The presence of numerous FAdVs serotypes, combined with the virus’s broad host range, positions it as a significant pathogen in the poultry industry. In the current context of intensive poultry production and global trade, co-infections involving multiple FAdVs serotypes, as well as co-infections with FAdVs alongside infectious bursal disease or infectious anemia virus, may occur within the same region or even on the same farm. The frequency of these outbreaks complicates the prevention and control of FAdVs. Therefore, the development of effective, targeted vaccines is essential for providing technical support in the management of FAdVs epidemics. Ongoing vaccine research aims to improve vaccine efficacy and address the challenges posed by emerging FAdVs outbreaks. This review focuses on vaccines developed and studied worldwide for various serotypes of FAdVs in the past decade. It encompasses inactivated vaccines, live attenuated vaccines, e.g., host-adapted attenuated vaccines and gene deletion vaccines, viral vector vaccines, and subunit vaccines (including VLP proteins and chimeric proteins). The current limitations and future development directions of FAdVs vaccine development are also proposed to provide a reference for new-generation vaccines and innovative vaccination strategies against FAdVs, as well as for the rapid development of highly effective vaccines. Full article

Over the past decade, the rapid growth of supply chain finance (SCF) in developing countries has made it a key profit driver for commercial banks and financial firms. In parallel, financial risk control in SCF has attracted more and more attention from financial service providers and has gained research momentum in recent years. This study analyzes the contagion mechanism of SCF-related risks faced by commercial banks through examining SCF network topology. First, this study uses complex network theory to integrate an SEIR epidemic model (Susceptible–Exposed–Infectious–Recovered) into financial risk management. The model simulates how financial risks spread in supply chain finance (SCF) under banks’ strategic, tactical, or operational interventions. Then, some key points for financial risk control from the perspective of commercial banks are obtained by investigating the risk stability threshold of the financial network of SCF and its stability. Numerical simulations show that effective interventions—such as strengthening loan guarantees to reduce the number of exposed firms—significantly curb risk transmission by restricting its scope and shortening its duration. This research provides commercial banks with a quantitative framework to analyze risk propagation and actionable strategies to optimize SCF risk control, enhancing financial system stability and offering practical guidance for preventing systemic risks. Full article

In recent years, global public health security has encountered significant challenges, with infectious diseases accounting for approximately 25% of global mortality annually. The worldwide pandemic instigated by the novel coronavirus, alongside the persistent threats posed by Ebola, influenza, and multidrug-resistant bacteria, has severely compromised human health, economic development, and social stability. Within this context, the development of rapid and precise pathogen detection technologies has emerged as a critical frontline defense for epidemic prevention and control, serving as a pivotal component in the implementation of the “early detection, early isolation, and early treatment” strategy. The Argonaute (Ago) protein, recognized as a programmable and target-specific activated nuclease, has demonstrated substantial potential in the realm of nucleic acid detection due to its distinctive biological properties, garnering considerable attention. In this study, we delineate the structural characteristics of Ago proteins and elucidate the mechanism underlying their nuclease activity. Furthermore, we review the principles of nucleic acid detection based on Argonaute and provide a comprehensive analysis of recent advancements in related detection systems. Additionally, we compare the advantages of detection based on Argonaute with other detection methodologies. Through a comprehensive analysis, we aim to provide a robust theoretical foundation and an advanced technical reference for the development of new-generation nucleic acid detection platforms with high sensitivity and high specificity. Full article