A Computer Simulation Study of Cell Population in a Fuzzy Interaction Model for Mutating HIV

Authors

Aaron Mielke, University of Southern Mississippi
Ras B. Pandey, University of Southern MississippiFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-1998

Department

Physics and Astronomy

School

Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Abstract

A fuzzy set of 10 interactions for macrophages, helper cells, cytotoxic cells, and virion is introduced to study their population dynamics in an immune response relevant to HIV. Viral mutation is considered and cellular automata are used for local interactions. In absence of mutation, after an initial incubation period (t_i) in which the number of helper cells (N_H) becomes comparable to viral population (N_V), the immune system recovers as N_H grows larger than N_V in the long time, t>t_i. Increasing the mutation rate (p_mut) enhances the viral growth and supresses the growth of host cells. Above a certain value of p_mut, the helper cells population depletes leading to AIDS as N_V⪢N_H.

Publication Title

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications

Volume

251

First Page

430

Last Page

438

Recommended Citation

Mielke, A., Pandey, R. B. (1998). A Computer Simulation Study of Cell Population in a Fuzzy Interaction Model for Mutating HIV. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 251, 430-438.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/4946