A novel approach to understanding CoViD-19: exploring the interplay of SARS-CoV-2 and CTL response

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel fractional-order model to analyze the complex interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and the immune response, revealing new insights into the virus's dynamics and potential control strategies.

Contribution

It introduces a non-integer order model capturing SARS-CoV-2 and CTL response interplay, highlighting a coexistence of endemic and immune-free states, and explores parameter effects on infection progression.

Findings

Identification of a parameter space with coexistence of endemic and immune-free states

Analysis of the basic reproduction number under different parameters

Numerical simulations showing the impact of fractional order and CTL functions

Abstract

Facing a global challenge with over 6.9 million fatalities, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of CoViD-19, demands novel and comprehensive approaches to understand its complex dynamics. This paper introduces a non-integer order model, capturing the intricate interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and the host's cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) response. Our work reveals a unique parameter space, in which an endemic state of SARS-CoV-2 and a CTL response-free equilibrium can coexist -- a crucial finding in our quest to decipher this pervasive virus. We further explore the basic reproduction number, assessing how different model parameters can potentially inhibit or fuel the infection's progression. Through extensive numerical simulations, we scrutinize the impact of varying the order of the fractional derivative and employing diverse CTL proliferation functions. This study significantly enriches our understanding of CoViD-19 immunopathology, offering invaluable insights that could guide future research and therapeutic strategies.