Untitled in english

Author(s)

Renato Bevilacqua

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Politécnica (EP/BC)
• Defense date: 2000-12-19

Examining board members

Luiz Henrique Alves Monteiro; José Guilherme de Souza Chaui Mattos Berlinck; José Roberto Castilho Piqueira

• Advisor: Luiz Henrique Alves Monteiro

Abstract

A mathematical model which describes the interactions between the immunological system and the quasi-species of the HIV is developed. Our goal is to find out therapies that reduce the vertical transmission rate of the virus. Firstly, the relevantaspects of the infection, the zidovudine therapy and the mother-to-child transmission of the HIV are discussed. After a critical review concerning monotherapeutic treatments, we propose a model which considers three populations of the immunological system cells: \\mbox{T-CD4} helper lymphocytes, antigen-presenting cells and \\mbox{T-CD8} citotoxic lymphocytes; and the viral quasi-species composed of both drug sensitive and resistent strains. The analysis of such a model consists of determining the equilibrium points and their stability based on the estimation of the basic reproductive number. Our model predicts the clinical behaviour of the pacients before and after the antiretroviral treatment. Finally, basedon the results of the model, subsidies are provided for elaborating optimal monotherapeutic strategies by using zidovudine for the reduction of vertical transmission rate of HIV in developing countries with high rates of soroprevalence. The constraints adopted are to keep from breast feeding, the amount of drug available and the time pregnant women remain at the hospital until the delivery. (AU)