Search results for "virulence evolution"
showing 3 items of 3 documents
Importance of Sequence and Timing in Parasite Coinfections
2019
Coinfections by multiple parasites predominate in the wild. Interactionsbetween parasites can be antagonistic, neutral, or facilitative, and they canhave significant implications for epidemiology, disease dynamics, and evolu-tion of virulence. Coinfections commonly result from sequential exposure ofhosts to different parasites. We argue that the sequential nature of coinfectionsis important for the consequences of infection in both natural and man-madeenvironments. Coinfections accumulate during host lifespan, determining thestructure of the parasite infracommunity. Interactions within the parasite com-munity and their joint effect on the host individual potentially shape evolution ofparasi…
The influence of infective dose, nutrient availability and coinfection on virulence of Flavobacterium columnare : implications of intensive aquacultu…
2016
Ecological factors are known to affect disease dynamics and even lead to disease emergence. Especially in opportunistic, environmentally transmitted pathogens, the environment may significantly contribute to pathogen virulence. Intensive farming, including aquaculture, has been suggested to create conditions favouring development of highly virulent pathogens. At Finnish fish farms, epidemics caused by opportunistic Flavobacterium columnare have been constantly increasing in their prevalence and severity since the 1980’s. Yet, factors behind the increased virulence of the pathogen and their mechanisms of action have largely remained unsolved. In this thesis, I explore the effects of infectio…