Theses and Dissertations Collection

Zoonotic spillover is an ever-growing threat to human health, emphasizing the need for effective virus control measures within wildlife reservoirs. This dissertation explores the possibility for novel virus control measures and develops an open source Lassa virus database. In the first Chapter, we develop a mathematical model to evaluate the effectiveness of a transmissible vaccine within a heterogeneous wildlife population. Generally, we find that transmissible vaccines do not benefit from heterogeneity in vaccine transmission. Next, we model the spread of a transmissible vaccine constructed from a betaherpesvirus vector, a leading vector candidate for vaccine development. We find that a transmissible vaccine constructed from such a vector can reduce certain zoonotic pathogens within a year of vaccine introduction. Finally, we construct a database characterizing Lassa virus infection and sequence data as well as interactive tools for data visualization and management to facilitate research on Lassa virus in West Africa.