Modeling and Control of HIV Mutation and Escape

HIV infection is a disease which has had a high profile for many years. It may be controlled, but not eliminated, by various drug combinations in Anti-Retroviral Therapy(ART). One of the limitations of current ART is the emergence of 'viral escape' where viral strains resistant to the current therapy may emerge and dominate. Mathematical modelling of HIV infection in a patient, under various treatment options, leads to a switched system. By study various control problems, including optimal control problems, for such switched systems, we can devise strategies for alternating between different ART options to limit mutation and maximize the time before viral escape occurs.