A Cellular Automata Model of Infection Control on Medical Implants

Authors

Alicia Prieto-Langarica, The University of Texas at Arlington
Hristo Kojouharov, The University of Texas at Arlington
Benito Chen-Charpentier, The University of Texas at Arlington
Liping Tang, The University of Texas at Arlington

Abstract

S. epidermidis infections on medically implanted devices are a common problem in modern medicine due to the abundance of the bacteria. Once inside the body, S. epidermidis gather in communities called biofilms and can become extremely hard to eradicate, causing the patient serious complications. We simulate the complex S. epidermidis-Neutrophils interactions in order to determine the optimum conditions for the immune system to be able to contain the infection and avoid implant rejection. Our cellular automata model can also be used as a tool for determining the optimal amount of antibiotics for combating biofilm formation on medical implants.

Recommended Citation

Prieto-Langarica, Alicia; Kojouharov, Hristo; Chen-Charpentier, Benito; and Tang, Liping (2011). A Cellular Automata Model of Infection Control on Medical Implants, Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM), Vol. 6, Iss. 1, Article 1.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.pvamu.edu/aam/vol6/iss1/1