DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/6AMZ-TH61
Defense Date
2012
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Mathematical Sciences
First Advisor
Angela Reynolds
Abstract
Gonnorrhea is an infectious sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae that commonly reproduces in the reproductive tract.The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that more than 700,000 individuals in the U.S. contract new gonorrheal infections per year. During recent years, there has been a progressive global increase of drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea. Therefore, there exists the necessity for health organizations to encourage the monitoring, research and development of innovative treatment regimens. We have developed multiple mathematical models to explore the gonorrheal disease state. The first objective of model formulation was to fit the model to established disease and population data provided by the CDC and U.S. Census Bureau and then include the presence of antibiotic resistance in the model. Additionally, we discuss intervention methods to combat this resistance. The second objective of model formulation was to use parameter sensitivity to determine specific age groups to target in effort to alter disease dynamics.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
May 2012