Three-species model for the transmission dynamics of the West Nile virus

The transmission dynamics of the West Nile Virus (WNv) are summarized using an ODE model which features two species of bird and one species of mosquito. Corvids (e.g., crows) are known to have high WNv mortality rates. By considering them alongside non-corvids with low WNv mortality, it is easier to compare the reservoir and sentinel roles that birds play in the study of WNv epidemiology. Analysis of the model is supported by numerical simulations. It is shown that corvids are good sentinels and poor reservoirs, and vice-versa for the non-corvids.