Sufficiently general framework for simple models of the net immune response

A general framework for modelling the immune response is proposed and analyzed. The models have simple formulation in terms of only few measurable quantities and the complexity of the immune response is accounted for by using nonlinear functions with time-delayed arguments. It is illustrated that such models are capable of describing various typical cases of the immune response. Standard analytical tools are used to show how such models can assist in the problem of parameter estimation.