An sirs epidemic model

This paper considers an SIRS epidemic model that incorporates constant immigration rate, a general population-size dependent contact rate and proportional transfer rate from the infective class to susceptible class. A threshold parameter a is identified. If σ≤1, the disease-free equilibrium is globally stable. If σ > 1, a unique endemic equilibrium is locally asymptotically stable. For two important special cases of mass action incidence and standard incidence, global stability of the endemic equilibrium is proved provided the threshold is larger than unity. Some previous results are extended and improved. © 2004, Springer Verlag. All rights reserved.