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Halting viruses in scale-free networks

Zoltán Dezső and Albert-László Barabási
Phys. Rev. E 65, 055103(R) – Published 21 May 2002
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Abstract

The vanishing epidemic threshold for viruses spreading on scale-free networks indicate that traditional methods, aiming to decrease a virus’ spreading rate cannot succeed in eradicating an epidemic. We demonstrate that policies that discriminate between the nodes, curing mostly the highly connected nodes, can restore a finite epidemic threshold and potentially eradicate a virus. We find that the more biased a policy is towards the hubs, the more chance it has to bring the epidemic threshold above the virus’ spreading rate. Furthermore, such biased policies are more cost effective, requiring less cures to eradicate the virus.

  • Received 7 March 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.65.055103

©2002 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Zoltán Dezső and Albert-László Barabási

  • Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556

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Vol. 65, Iss. 5 — May 2002

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