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Updated: Jul 4, 2026

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Published on: April 5, 2024
A baseline model for the co-evolution of hosts and pathogens
Rachel Bennett1, Roger G Bowers
1Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Peach St., Liverpool L69 7ZL, UK. rachel.bennett@liv.ac.uk
This study explores host-pathogen dynamics, showing that while individual strains favor pathogen virulence (maximizing basic reproduction ratio, R0) or host resistance (minimizing basic depression ratio, D0), community interactions allow for multi-strain coexistence and complex population cycles.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary dynamics
- Epidemiology
- Population genetics
Background:
- The basic reproduction ratio (R0) measures pathogen spread, favoring virulence evolution towards monomorphism.
- The basic depression ratio (D0) measures infection's population impact, favoring host resistance evolution towards monomorphism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze community dynamics arising from the interaction between R0 and D0.
- To investigate conditions for multi-strain pathogen and host coexistence (polymorphism).
- To explore the potential for stable cycles within polymorphic states.
Main Methods:
- Modeling the evolutionary interplay between host resistance and pathogen virulence.
- Analyzing community dynamics under varying host and pathogen strain numbers.
- Identifying invasion criteria for host and pathogen strains.
Main Results:
- Multi-strain pathogen and host coexistence (polymorphism) is possible.
- Identical numbers of host and pathogen strains are required for stable equilibria in co-existence.
- Polymorphic states exhibit contingencies, with outcomes dependent on initial conditions, leading to either stable equilibria or sustained oscillations.
Conclusions:
- Community-level interactions can drive evolutionary polymorphism, contrasting with single-strain dynamics.
- The number of coexisting host and pathogen strains is critical for stable population dynamics.
- Understanding invasion criteria is key to predicting the stability and evolution of host-pathogen communities.
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