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showing 10 items of 8388 documents
Social interactions modulate the virulence of avian malaria infection
2013
There is an increasing understanding of the context-dependent nature of parasite virulence. Variation in parasite virulence can occur when infected individuals compete with conspecifics that vary in infection status; virulence may be higher when competing with uninfected competitors. In vertebrates with social hierarchies, we propose that these competition-mediated costs of infection may also vary with social status. Dominant individuals have greater competitive ability than competing subordinates, and consequently may pay a lower prevalence-mediated cost of infection. In this study we investigated whether costs of malarial infection were affected by the occurrence of the parasite in compet…
Investigating candidate neuromodulatory systems underlying parasitic manipulation: concepts, limitations and prospects.
2012
Summary Studies addressing the functional basis of parasitic manipulation suggest that alteration of the neuromodulatory system is a common feature of manipulated hosts. Screening of the neuromodulatory system has so far been carried out by performing ethopharmacological analysis, biochemical quantification of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, and/or immunocytochemistry. Here, we review the advantages and limitations of such approaches through the analysis of case studies. We further address whether the analysis of candidate neuromodulatory systems fits the current view of manipulation as being multidimensional. The benefits in combining ethopharmacology with more recent molecular tool…
Multidimensionality in parasite-induced phenotypic alterations: ultimate versus proximate aspects.
2012
SummaryIn most cases, parasites alter more than one dimension in their host phenotype. Although multidimensionality in parasite-induced phenotypic alterations (PIPAs) seems to be the rule, it has started to be addressed only recently. Here, we critically review some of the problems associated with the definition, quantification and interpretation of multidimensionality in PIPAs. In particular, we confront ultimate and proximate accounts, and evaluate their own limitations. We end up by introducing several suggestions for the development of future research, including some practical guidelines for the quantitative analysis of multidimensionality in PIPAs.
Cucumispora dikerogammari n. gen. (Fungi: Microsporidia) infecting the invasive amphipod Dikerogammarus villosus: a potential emerging disease in Eur…
2010
SUMMARYDikerogammarus villosusis an invasive amphipod that recently colonized the main rivers of Central and Western Europe. Two frequent microsporidian parasites were previously detected in this species, but their taxonomic status was unclear. Here we present ultrastructural and molecular data indicating that these two parasites are in fact a single microsporidian species. This parasite shares numerous characteristics ofNosemaspp. It forms elongate spores (cucumiform), developing in direct contact with host cell cytoplasm; all developmental stages are diplokaryotic and the life cycle is monomorphic with disporoblastic sporogony. Initially this parasite was described asNosema dikerogammariO…
Immunity and Virulence in Bird-Parasite Interactions.
2010
8 pages; International audience; The interaction between hosts and parasites is characterized by the evolution of reciproca adaptations aiming at reducing the cost of infection (from the host point of view) and to optimize host exploitation (from the parasite point of view). Within this co-evolutionary scenario, the immune system takes a central role. The immune system has evolved to fight off parasitic attacks. However, immune defences cannot be deployed without costs which set a limit to the protective effect of immunity. Moreover, immune defences impose strong selection pressures on the parasite and can favour the evolution of more virulent pathogen strains. In this article, we will disc…
Bird and amphipod parasites illustrate a gradient from adaptation to exaptation in complex life cycle.
2010
6 pages; International audience; Trophically transmitted parasites modify the phenotype of their hosts, sometimes in a way that facilitates transmission. Parasite-induced changes can be either part of a manipulative strategy evolved to improve the transmission success of the parasite, or simply by-products of infection with no health effect. In the former case, manipulation is regarded as a parasite adaptation driven by the probability of being eaten by a suitable next host. Here, we consider the fact that manipulation may also be an 'exaptation': a trait that evolved for a certain use, but which has been co-opted for a new use. According to this view, features built by natural selection fo…
Interpreting immunological indices: the importance of taking parasite community into account. An example in blackbirds Turdus merula.
2015
13 pages; International audience; Despite the intensive use of immune indices in immunoecology, whether to interpret the results of immune indices in terms of actual immune competence (i.e. ability to control and clear parasite infections as indicated by high values of immune indices associated with low parasite loads) or current immune activation (pathogenic infection being associated with high parasite load and high values of immune indices) is still an open question. Most studies to date have produced contrasting results focused on the effect of a single parasite species despite the fact that hosts usually harbour a community of parasites that influences one another's impact on host immu…
Chemical host detection and differential attraction in a parasitic pea crab infecting two echinoids
2011
Mechanisms of host detection and host choice are important for mobile parasites or symbionts that frequently move among host individuals. The parasitic pea crab Dissodactylus primitivus is an ectoparasite exploiting asymmetrically two spatangoid echinoid hosts, Meoma ventricosa and Plagiobrissus grandis. The entire life cycle takes place on M. ventricosa, while only adults colonize P. grandis, the host where female's fecundity is the greatest. Dissodactylus primitivus frequently exhibits host-switching, a behaviour that raises the question of host detection. To test if adult crabs are able to detect potential hosts and are attracted to the host where their fitness is greater, crab olfactory…
Host-manipulation by parasites: towards a neuroethological approach?
2009
2 pages; International audience
Parasite and host assemblages: embracing the reality will improve our knowledge of parasite transmission and virulence.
2010
10 pages; International audience; Interactions involving several parasite species (multi-parasitized hosts) or several host species (multi-host parasites) are the rule in nature. Only a few studies have investigated these realistic, but complex, situations from an evolutionary perspective. Consequently, their impact on the evolution of parasite virulence and transmission remains poorly understood. The mechanisms by which multiple infections may influence virulence and transmission include the dynamics of intrahost competition, mediation by the host immune system and an increase in parasite genetic recombination. Theoretical investigations have yet to be conducted to determine which of these…