Persistent solutions in a model for parasitic infections.

A model is discussed for the description of parasitic diseases on host populations with age structure. The parasite population develops according to a linear multitype birth-death-process. The parasites influence mortality and fertility of the hosts and are acquired with a rate depending on the mean parasite load of the host population. The model consists of a system of partial differential equations with initial and boundary conditions. Existence and stability of persistent solutions as well as the distribution of parasites on the host population are discussed.