Article

Modeling the overdispersion of parasite loads.

Institut für Angewandte Mathematik, Universität Zürich, Switzerland.
Mathematical Biosciences (impact factor: 1.54). 01/1992; 107(2):249-53. pp.249-53
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Many epidemic models lead to an approximately Poisson distribution of parasites among hosts. This is at variance with observation, where heavy overdispersion is the rule. A simple model is proposed that, while treating individuals alike, nonetheless gives rise to highly variable parasite loads.

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Keywords

epidemic models lead
 
heavy overdispersion
 
parasites
 
variable parasite loads
 

A D Barbour