Dynamics of Infection Spread and Hotspot Growth in Bi-Pathogen Networks

Alyssa Yu, Laura P. Schaposnik

incompletemedium confidence

Category: Not specified
Journal tier: Specialist/Solid
Processed: Sep 28, 2025, 12:57 AM
arXiv Links: Abstract ↗PDF ↗

Audit review

The paper advances clear, simulation-backed claims but intentionally stops short of proofs for several key statements (e.g., the β12–α12 relationship), while the candidate solution attempts full proofs yet relies on incorrect invariance and oversimplified linearizations in places (notably Task C, and parts of Task A’s collapse argument). Thus, both are incomplete: the paper empirically suggests results without full theory, and the model’s derivations contain gaps or incorrect assumptions relative to the stated MBRD-CI equations.

Referee report (LaTeX)

\textbf{Recommendation:} major revisions

\textbf{Journal Tier:} specialist/solid

\textbf{Justification:}

This manuscript offers a valuable simulation-based study of bi-pathogen spread on multiplex networks, grounded in recently introduced MBRD models. Its main insights (hotspot growth and potential collapse; early-stage importance of limiting infected migration; parameter and topology effects; and an empirically characterized β12-threshold) are interesting and well presented. However, several claims remain observational without theoretical guarantees; at points, the text suggests causal interpretations that would benefit from precise statements of scope and limitations. The work would be strengthened by clarifying what is empirically supported versus theoretically proven (e.g., explicitly citing the companion paper for theorems), and by tightening the exposition of definitions and metrics. Overall, with revisions clarifying claims and their status, the paper would be a solid contribution to the specialist literature.