Dynamics of classical solutions of a multi-strain diffusive epidemic model with mass-action transmission mechanism

We study a diffusive epidemic model and examine the spatial spreading dynamics of a multi-strain infectious disease. In particular, we address the questions of competitive-exclusion or coexistence of the disease’s strains. Our results indicate that if one strain has its local reproduction function spatially homogeneous, which either strictly minimizes or maximizes the basic reproduction numbers, then the phenomenon of competitive-exclusion occurs. However, if all the local reproduction functions are spatially heterogeneous, several strains may coexist. In this case, we provide complete information on the large time behavior of classical solutions for the two-strain model when the diffusion rate is uniform within the population and the ratio of the local transmission rates is constant. Particularly, we prove the existence of two critical superimposed functions that serve as threshold values for the ratio of the transmission rates and that of the recovery rates. Furthermore, when the populations’ diffusion rates are small, our result on the asymptotic profiles of coexistence endemic equilibria indicate a spatial segregation of infected populations.