Simulation of vaccination and resistance in leprosy using an epidemiometric model

Abstract

Epidemiometric models are useful in studying disease dynamics in populations. Such a model was developed for leprosy and proved useful, but did not take into account age- and sex-specific incidence rates. This paper presents a new version of the model which makes provisions for age and sex differential rates according to the type of leprosy and which includes more realistic parameters for death rates, population variations, and natural growth rates. This new version of the epidemiometric model was used to stimulate the effects of various vaccines and drug resistance on the incidence of leprosy in a population.