2015 SRE Project

Canine Distemper Modeling

Mentors:
Dr. Suzanne Lenhart
Dr. Rebecca Wilkes
Graduate Assistant: Ben Levy

Participants:
Ashley Dantzler (Mathematics, Central High School, Knoxville, TN)
Ayana Wild (Computer Science and Mathematics, Tennessee State Univ.)
Margaux Hujoel (Mathematical & Computational Biology, Harvey Mudd College)
Virginia Parkman (Mathematics, Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville)

Canine distemper virus (CDV) produces severe systemic disease in dogs, is highly contagious, and has caused multiple outbreaks recently in animal shelters. To investigate control strategies and to understand the transmission mechanisms, we will build an epidemiological model for a shelter situation and will use some data from the local outbreaks. CDV also infects multiple wildlife species (including raccoons, coyotes, wolves, skunks, and bobcats). This work may be extended to include the interface between dogs and wildlife.

Products

Abstract of project report (PDF)

Project group (from L): Dr. Suzanne Lenhart, Ashley Dantzler, Mathematics Teacher, Central HIgh School, Virginia Parkman, Mathematics, Univ. of Tennessee, Margaux Hujoel, Mathematical and Computational Biology, Harvey Mudd College, Ayana Wild, Computer Science and Mathematics, Tennessee State Univ., and Ben Levy

Return to SRE 2015.

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From 2008 until early 2021, NIMBioS was supported by the National Science Foundation through NSF Award #DBI-1300426, with additional support from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.