LAUSR

Mathematical models can be very useful in determining efficient and successful antibiotic dosing techniques against bacterial infections. There are several challenging issues involved, the presence of drug resistant bacteria being one. Recent rise in antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria is a grave public health hazard, hence there is a need to develop dosing protocols taking into account the presence of these resistant strains. In this study, we consider a model for antibiotic treatment of a bacterial infection where the bacteria are divided into two sub-populations: susceptible and resistant. The mechanism of acquisition of resistance by the susceptible bacteria considered is via the process of conjugation. We find the steady-state solutions under an antibiotic protocol of discrete periodic doses and analyze their stability. We also prove an extension of a result that pertains to the persistence of bacteria. In addition, we perform the bifurcation analysis under this dosing protocol and show that bi-...