Journal of Theoretical Medicine
Volume 4 (2002), Issue 2, Pages 109-118
doi:10.1080/10273660290003777

A Mathematical Model for the Dynamics of Hepatitis C

R. Avendano,1 L. Esteva,2 J. A. Flores,2 J. L. Fuentes Allen,3 G. Gómez,2 and Je. López-Estrada2

1Educación Médica, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, IMSS, 06720, Mexico, D.F., Mexico
2Departamento De Matemáticas, Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, 04510, Mexico, D.F., Mexico
3Hospital de Infectología, Centro Médico la Raza, IMSS, Mexico, D.F., Mexico

Received 27 September 2000; Accepted 21 May 2001

Copyright © 2002 Hindawi Publishing Corporation. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

We formulate a model to describe the dynamics of hepatitis C virus (HCV) considering four populations: uninfected liver cells, infected liver cells, HCV and T cells. Analysis of the model reveals the existence of two equilibrium states, the uninfected state in which no virus is present and an endemically infected state, in which virus and infected cells are present. There exists a threshold condition that determines the existence and stability of the endemic equilibrium. We discuss the efficacy of the therapy methods for hepatitis C in terms of the threshold parameter. Success of the therapy could possibly be predicted from the early viral dynamics in the patients.