Epidemic spreading on interconnected networks

TL;DR

This paper investigates how epidemics spread across interconnected networks, revealing that even weak coupling can lead to widespread endemic states, with a new analytical approach validated by simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a heterogeneous mean field model for epidemic spreading on interconnected networks, showing how global endemic states can emerge despite limited coupling.

Findings

Global endemic states can form even if epidemics don't spread on individual networks.

Weak coupling between networks can trigger widespread outbreaks.

Analytical results align well with large-scale simulations.

Abstract

Many real networks are not isolated from each other but form networks of networks, often interrelated in non trivial ways. Here, we analyze an epidemic spreading process taking place on top of two interconnected complex networks. We develop a heterogeneous mean field approach that allows us to calculate the conditions for the emergence of an endemic state. Interestingly, a global endemic state may arise in the coupled system even though the epidemics is not able to propagate on each network separately, and even when the number of coupling connections is small. Our analytic results are successfully confronted against large-scale numerical simulations.