Autonomous Targeting of Infectious Superspreaders Using Engineered Transmissible Therapies

Metzger, Vincent T.; Lloyd-Smith, James O.; Weinberger, Leor S.

As an added benefit for intervention in resource-limited settings, TIPs may have the potential to be administered as a therapy requiring only a single dose, thereby allowing for (a) Ability of TIP intervention to penetrate each risk-class as reported by fraction of each risk-class exposed to intervention over time. Despite introduction into far more individuals in the lowest risk class (due to our assumption of uniform 1% initial coverage), TIPs can mobilize into the highest risk superspreader class. Solid and dashed lines represent simulations in the presence of behavioral disinhibition, respectively. (b) Ability of 50% protective vaccine, administered to 95% of the population, to penetrate each risk-class as reported by fraction of each risk-class exposed to vaccination over time. Solid and dashed lines represent simulations in the presence of behavioral disinhibition, respectively. In contrast to TIPs, a 50% protective vaccine that is directly targeted to the highest risk class is quickly depleted from the highest risk-class because, given partial protection, high-risk individuals still become infected relatively rapidly. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002015.g004