Temporal Evolution of Immunity Distributions in a Population with Waning and Boosting

Figure 2

Exposure to the pathogen has a boosting effect on the immune system, whereby several possible scenarios are possible: (a) No boosting events (NOboost): the host who recovered at time becomes susceptible at time , with given in (2). (b) Boosts restore disease-induced immunity, that is, the immune system is always boosted to the maximal level of immunity (MAXboost). (c) Variable boost, to any higher immune level.

(a) No boosts

(b) Boost to maximal level

(c) Boost to any higher level