Interplay of network dynamics and ties heterogeneity on spreading dynamics

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the heterogeneity and dynamic assignment of edge weights in networks influence disease spreading, revealing that dynamic weights can hinder epidemic diffusion.

Contribution

It provides an analytical framework and numerical simulations to understand the impact of weight heterogeneity and dynamics on epidemic persistence in networks.

Findings

Heterogeneous edge weights influence epidemic stability.

Dynamic weight assignment can suppress disease spread.

Fixed weights tend to facilitate epidemic persistence.

Abstract

The structure of a network dramatically affects the spreading phenomena unfolding upon it. The contact distribution of the nodes has long been recognized as the key ingredient in influencing the outbreak events. However, limited knowledge is currently available on the role of the weight of the edges on the persistence of a pathogen. At the same time, recent works showed a strong influence of temporal network dynamics on disease spreading. In this work we provide an analytical understanding, corroborated by numerical simulations, about the conditions for infected stable state in weighted networks. In particular, we reveal the role of heterogeneity of edge weights and of the dynamic assignment of weights on the ties in the network in driving the spread of the epidemic. In this context we show that when weights are dynamically assigned to ties in the network an heterogeneous distribution is able to hamper the diffusion of the disease, contrary to what happens when weights are fixed in time.