Mathematical dynamics for HIV infections with public awareness and viral load detectability

Abstract

In this paper, we develop a nonlinear deterministic model that incorporates public awareness and treatment to describe the dynamics of HIV/AIDS in an infected population with detectable and undetectable viral load. The model undergoes backward bifurcation in which a stable disease-free equilibrium coexists with a stable endemic equilibrium. Numerical simulations carried out show the behavior of the state variables and the impact of public awareness in controlling the spread of HIV. The results show that public awareness will help in curtailing the spread of HIV infection, and when treatment is applied to infected individuals with detectable viral load can easily suppress their virus to become undetectable so that they cannot transmit HIV through sexual intercourse.