A novel viral infection model to guide optimal mpox treatment

In 2022, worldwide mpox outbreaks have called attention to virus infection and treatment opportunities using the drugs cidofovir tecovirimat, which target different stages of in-host viral proliferation, respectively production shedding. We propose a new model dynamics that distinguishes between two stages, so as explore distinct effects drugs, we analyse properties behaviour. Reducing order via timescale separation is shown lead classical target-cell limited model, with lumped proliferation rate depending on both explicitly introduce effect exemplify how formulate solve an optimal control problem leverages schedule combined treatments.