INDISIM-RBC

INDISIM-RBC in 2D. DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL MODEL

In vitro cultivation of Plasmodium falciparum is a custom practice carried out with mastered techniques that were set more than thirty years ago (Jensen and Trager 1976). Yet, many limitations that make malaria harvesting costly and tenuous are accepted without examining whether they could be avoided by using alternative cultivation methods (MR4, 2009). Several cultures of P. falciparum infected RBCs have been modelled using INDISIM-RBC, an IbM that has been framed with the information on the RBC and the parasite found in literature.

The working methodology and the specific model used to tackle malaria spread in vitro, which sets the rules governing individual cells and their local interactions, can be found here.

Some results obtained with the 2D version of the model can be found here. They reproduce several experimental patterns observed at different levels, spatial and temporal scales.

Find a DEMO of the outcome of INDISIM-RBC.v2D here. Find the instructions here.

INDISIM-RBC in 3D. STATIC CULTIVATION OF THE PARASITE

First versions of INDISIM-RBC proved their validity in representing the mechanisms governing the propagation of Plasmodium falciparum in RBC in vitro cultures, as well as their capacity to provide understanding concerning the observed population dynamics. However, a more accurate description of the processes affecting the local environment of the RBCs is required when comparing dierent

culturing devices or trying to optimize the current culture conditions.

An outbridged 3D version of the model is presented here. This version studies how the geometrical characteristics of the hematocrit layer of settled RBCs influence the prevalence and the course of the infection.

Some general results and specific results regarding the local limitations on the parasite proliferation local degradation of the culture medium due to insuficient diffusion rates are presented here.

A DEMO of the outcome of INDISIM-RBC.v3D can be found here. Find the instructions here.

INDISIM-EPI. ANALYSIS OF THE SPREADING OF THE DISEASE

Prospects against malaria were reoriented from global eradication to global control as a consequence of the failure of the existing long-term global campaigns and the appearance of parasite resistance to treatments. Recently, the disease was reconsidered candidate for eradication again, because the control strategy is insufficient to change the global situation and also due to the availability of new agents and tools (WHO 2008).

Global actors against malaria operate at temporal scales of the order of the decadebut the implementation of specific antimalarial actions falls on agents that have a limited local scope of action and which can support campaigns in the scale of years, at most.

Population-based models, are a necessary strategy to formalize and structure previsions of the global agencies, but the Agent-based approach, a strategy that allows including explicit local features and multiple levels of description, is better to address specific local phenomena.

A discussion on the application of these methodologies can be found here.

A preliminary model representing a closed community of human hosts and mosquito vectors can be found here.

Please report any malfunction or comment to Jordi Ferrer: jordi.ferrer-savall@upc.edu