BIO220H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 20: Sexually Transmitted Infection, Human Behavioral Ecology, Myxoma Virus
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BIO220H1 Full Course Notes
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Reading article 20 epidemiology meets evolutionary ecology mobility of human populations = evolution of parasite virulence. Rapid evolution of virulence respond to change in host ecology. Need to merge epidemiology w/ evolutionary ecology: answer evolutionary questions for public health policy. Virulence: emergent property of host-parasite interaction, arise from host exploitation, extent of parasite-induced reduction in host fitness. Paper looks at life-history tradeoffs that maximize parasite transmission + determine optimal levels of virulence: horizontal vs vertical transmission, direct vs indirect transmission. Change human behavioural ecology alters transmission patterns = affect evolution of virulence. Look at multiple strains w/i individual host: changes virulence levels. Sex + recombination in parasites evolution of immune evasion + virulence. Host also has life-history tradeoff: time: cost of resistance vs cost of infection. Behaviour of humans (i. e. sexual behaviour) determines transmission patterns: determine relative importance of horizontal vs vertical. Horizontal transmission: form of transmission not maternal, could be vector-borne, airborne, direct contact, more virulent.
