The impact of predation on the coexistence and competitive exclusion of pathogens in prey

A two-strain epidemic model with saturating contact rate under a generalist predator is proposed. For a generalist predator which feeds on many types of prey, we assume that the predator can discriminate among susceptible and infected with each strain prey. First, mathematical analysis of the model with regard to invariance of nonnegativity, boundedness of solutions, nature of equilibria, persistence and global stability are analyzed. Second, the two strains will competitively exclude each other in the absence of predation with the strain with the larger reproduction number persisting. If predation is discriminate, then depending on the predation level, a dominant strain may occur. Thus, for some predation levels, the strain one may persist while for other predation levels strain two may persist. Furthermore, coexistence line and coexistent asymptotic-periodic solution are obtained when coexistence occur while heteroclinic is obtained when the two strains competitively exclude each other. Finally, the impact of predation is mentioned along with numerical results to provide some support to the analytical findings.