A Network Model for Dispersion of Communicable Diseases

The spread of communicable diseases through a population is an intrinsic spatial and temporal process. This paper presents an individual-based analytical framework for modeling the spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the disease transmission. The framework specifies a network model structure and six associated parameters. These parameters describe the properties of nodes, the properties of links, and the topology of the network. Through this model structure and associated parameters, this framework allows the representation of discrete individuals, individualized interactions, and interaction patterns in a network of human contact. The explicit representation of the spatial distribution and mobility of individuals in particular facilitates the modeling of spatial heterogeneity in the disease transmission.