Multiobjective optimization to a TB-HIV/AIDS coinfection optimal control problem

Abstract

We consider a recent coinfection model for Tuberculosis (TB), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) proposed in Silva and Torres (Discr Contin Dyn Syst 35(9):4639–4663, 2015). We introduce and analyze a multiobjective formulation of an optimal control problem, where the two conflicting objectives are minimization of the number of HIV-infected individuals with AIDS clinical symptoms and coinfected with AIDS and active TB; and costs related to prevention and treatment of HIV and/or TB measures. The proposed approach eliminates some limitations of previous works. The results of the numerical study provide comprehensive insights about the optimal treatment policies and the population dynamics resulting from their implementation. Some nonintuitive conclusions are drawn. Overall, the simulation results demonstrate the usefulness and validity of the proposed approach.