As the development of a dengue vaccine is ongoing, we simulate an hypothetical vaccine as an extra protection to the population. In a first phase, the vaccination process is studied as a new compartment in the model, and different ways of distributing the vaccines investigated: pediatric and random mass vaccines, with distinct levels of efficacy and durability. In a second step, the vaccination is seen as a control variable in the epidemiological process. In both cases, epidemic and endemic scenarios are included in order to analyze distinct outbreak realities.

Epidemiological models may give some basic guidelines for public health practitioners, allowing the analysis of issues that can influence the strategies to prevent and fight a disease. To be used in decision making, however, a mathematical model must be carefully parameterized and validated with epidemiological and entomological data. Here an SIR (S for susceptible, I for infectious, and R for recovered individuals) and ASI (A for the aquatic phase of the mosquito, S for susceptible, and I for infectious mosquitoes) epidemiological model describing a dengue disease is presented, as well as the associated basic reproduction number. A sensitivity analysis of the epidemiological model is performed in order to determine the relative importance of the model parameters to the disease transmission.