Phylogenetic host specificity and understanding parasite sharing in primates.
Natalie Cooper1, Randi Griffin, Mathias Franz
1Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA. ncooper@tcd.ie
Ecology Letters
|August 24, 2012
Summary
Most primate parasites infect a wider range of hosts than expected, indicating generalist behavior. This host generalism, influenced by ecology and geography, is key to understanding parasite transmission and predicting disease risks.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Disease Ecology
Background:
- Parasite transmission between species is crucial for human health, agriculture, and conservation.
- Patterns of host sharing by parasites, from specialists to generalists, remain poorly understood.
- Identifying factors driving parasite host range is essential for predicting disease emergence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the drivers of parasite host specificity in primates.
- To determine if parasite host sharing aligns with host evolutionary relatedness.
- To identify ecological and geographical factors influencing parasite transmission.
Main Methods:
- Developed and applied a novel 'phylogenetic host specificity' measure.
- Utilized evolutionary models to assess host-parasite cospeciation and extinction rates.
- Analyzed the influence of host ecology and geographical distribution on parasite sharing.
Main Results:
- Most primate parasites with multiple hosts are phylogenetic generalists, infecting diverse primate lineages.
- Phylogenetic relatedness alone does not fully explain parasite sharing patterns.
- Host ecology and geographical overlap significantly facilitate parasite transmission between primate species.
Conclusions:
- Phylogenetic host generalism in parasites is shaped by cospeciation, reduced extinction, and importantly, host ecology and geography.
- Understanding these multifaceted drivers is critical for predicting zoonotic disease risks.
- This research provides a framework for assessing parasite transmission dynamics across species.
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