OPTIMAL CONTROL FOR ENHANCEMENT OF \emph{WOLBACHIA} FREQUENCY AMONG \emph{AEDES AEGYPTI} FEMALES

Abstract

©2017 Academic Publications, Ltd. In this paper, we propose and thoroughly analyze the ODE model that describes the competition between wild Aedes aegypti female mosquitoes and those carrying Wolbachia bacterial symbiont in the same locality. Using this model in the context of optimal control, we further propose feasible strategies for replacing the wild population with Wolbachia-carriers. The latter is known as Wolbachia-based biocontrol aimed at prevention of various arboviral infections (such as dengue, chikungunya, and zika diseases), given that Wolbachia drastically reduces the mosquito ability to acquire arboviral infections.