Optimal control of vaccine distribution in a rabies metapopulation model

Abstract

We consider an SIR metapopulation model for the spread of rabies in raccoons. This system of ordinary differential equations considers subpopulations connected by movement. Vaccine for raccoons is distributed through food baits. We apply optimal control theory to find the best timing for distribution of vaccine in each of the linked subpopulations across the landscape. This strategy is chosen to limit the disease optimally by making the number of infections as small as possible while accounting for the cost of vaccination.