Reactive immunization on complex networks. (23rd February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Alfinito, Eleonora; Beccaria, Matteo; Fachechi, Alberto; Macorini, Guido
• Is Part Of: Europhysics letters. Volume 117:Number 1(2017:Jan.)
• Publication Date: 2017-02-23
• Subjects: 89.75.-k -- 87.23.Ge -- 87.10.Rt; Physics -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 530.05
• DOI: 10.1209/0295-5075/117/18002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0295-5075

Abstract

Abstract: Epidemic spreading on complex networks depends on the topological structure as well as on the dynamical properties of the infection itself. Generally speaking, highly connected individuals play the role of hubs and are crucial to channel information across the network. On the other hand, static topological quantities measuring the connectivity structure are independent of the dynamical mechanisms of the infection. A natural question is therefore how to improve the topological analysis by some kind of dynamical information that may be extracted from the ongoing infection itself. In this spirit, we propose a novel vaccination scheme that exploits information from the details of the infection pattern at the moment when the vaccination strategy is applied. Numerical simulations of the infection process show that the proposed immunization strategy is effective and robust on a wide class of complex networks.