Pneumo-gaming: Computer game based on multi-level mathematical modelling and simulation used to investigate early-phase bacterial lung infection

Abstract

Pneumococcal infection is the most frequent cause of pneumonia, and one of the most prevalent and dangerous diseases. The risk groups for the disease namely, infants elderly and immunosuppressed people, are more exposed and vulnerable because vaccines are not efficient in them, and when the symptoms appear the risk of death is high. Instead, preventing the alveolar infection would be a promising strategy in this group. A multilevel mathematical model converted into a game is proposed to understand the biological mechanism of the prevention of the disease through the gaming experience of the users.