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Spatial spread of an emerging infectious disease: conjunctivitis in House Finches

Parviez R Hosseini1, André A Dhondt, Andy P Dobson

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544-1003, USA. hosseini@princeton.edu

Ecology
|January 26, 2007
PubMed

Insights

The spread of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in House Finches decelerates over time, influenced by elevation and host abundance, not barriers. Asymptomatic carriers are key to disease transmission.

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Epidemiology
  • Veterinary Science

Background:

  • Mycoplasma gallisepticum is an emergent pathogen affecting House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) in their introduced range.
  • Understanding disease spread dynamics is crucial for wildlife health management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the rate of spread of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in House Finches.
  • To compare the spread rates of the pathogen and its host.
  • To identify factors influencing disease dissemination.

Main Methods:

  • Quantified pathogen spread rate in relation to host spread rate.
  • Compared disease spread in birds to terrestrial mammals.
  • Analyzed the influence of elevation, host abundance, barriers, anthropogenic movement, and seasonality on disease spread.

Main Results:

  • Pathogen spread was rapid but decelerating, contrasting with slower, accelerating host spread.
  • Elevation and host abundance significantly restricted disease spread.
  • Seasonality in host movement, rather than disease prevalence, affected spread rate and direction.

Conclusions:

  • Asymptomatic carriers are significant transmitters of Mycoplasma gallisepticum to new locations.
  • This finding may apply to other diseases like West Nile Virus and avian influenza.

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