Global Analysis of a Fractional-Order Hepatitis B Virus Model Under Immune Response in the Presence of Cytokines

Abstract

This research proposes and investigates an epidemiological model to study the dynamic behaviors of the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) under immune response and cytokine influence. The model's stability, positivity, boundedness, and equilibria are analyzed using Lyapunov functional methods and the Routh–Hurwitz criterion under Caputo fractional derivative. The study evaluates nucleoside analogues and interferon treatments, determining critical drug efficiencies. Equilibria, including infection-free and endemic states, are analyzed using the fundamental reproduction number, $R_0^H$, to predict disease elimination. Numerical simulations utilize the fractional Adams method and the L1 scheme, capturing memory traces as the fractional order changes. Results show the L1 scheme effectively captures memory traces, providing empirical support for the theoretical findings. Furthermore, Ulam–Hyers stability is treated according to the equilibrium point, which describes relationships between functions. Notably, the findings of the study yielded profound insights. They revealed that the HBV system remains locally asymptotic stable at disease-free and the endemic point when $R_0^H<1$. At the same time, the simulations illustrated a correlation between the rate of infection and the rise in infected individuals, indicating the feasibility of eradicating and effectively managing HBV infections through a multifaceted approach and various measures such as vaccination and effective drug administration protocols. The proposed framework can guide medical professionals and decision-makers in developing effective strategies to limit and eliminate the spread of HBV in the population.