title: A single-parameter model of the immune response to bacterial invasion.
abstract: The human immune response to bacterial pathogens is a remarkably complex process, involving many different cell types, chemical signals, and extensive lines of communication. Mathematical models of this system have become increasingly high-dimensional and complicated, as researchers seek to capture many of the major dynamics. In this paper, we argue that, in some important instances, preference should be given to low-dimensional models of immune response, as opposed to their high-dimensional counterparts. One such model is analyzed and shown to reflect many of the key phenomenological properties of the immune response in humans. Notably, this model includes a single parameter that, when combined with a single set of reference parameter values, may be used to quantify the overall immunocompetence of individual hosts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173, USA. lcaudill@richmond.edu
authors.forename: Lester F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Caudill
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D019295:Computational Biology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D055641:Mathematical Concepts; D018448:Models, Immunological