The pluses and minuses of
0
The concept of the basic reproduction number ( 0 ) occupies a central place in epidemic theory. The value of 0 determines the proportion of the population that becomes infected over the course of a (modelled) epidemic. In many models, (i) an endemic infection can persist only if 0 >1, (ii) the value of 0 provides a direct measure of the control effort required to eliminate the infection, and (iii) pathogens evolve to maximize their value of 0 . These three statements are not universally true. In this paper, some exceptions to them are discussed, based on the extensions of the SIR model.