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Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence

Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence

Infectious diseases appear in populations through various transmission patterns, influenced by pathogen characteristics, population immunity, environmental conditions, and social behavior. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective public health surveillance and intervention. These categories—sporadic, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, and endemic—help frame the nature and scope of disease events.Sporadic diseases occur irregularly and infrequently, without a predictable temporal or...

Threats to Biodiversity

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There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...

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When a pathogen enters the body and reproduces, it can cause an infection, damage body cells, and cause illness symptoms that eventually lead to disease. Therefore, its prevention requires breaking the chain of infection.
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Reservoir of Infection

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Infectious diseases arise from intricate interactions between pathogens and their reservoirs. A reservoir of infection refers to the natural habitat where a pathogen lives, grows, and multiplies, serving as a continual source of infection. Reservoirs are broadly classified as either living or nonliving, and each plays a unique role in disease transmission, significantly influencing public health interventions and control strategies.Humans act as reservoirs for a wide array of pathogens,...

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Small population sizes put a species at extreme risk of extinction due to a lack of variation, and a consequent decrease in adaptability. This weakens the chances of survival under pressures such as climate change, competition from other species, or new diseases. Large populations are more likely to survive pressures such as these, as such populations are more likely to harbor individuals that have genetic variants that are adaptive under new stresses. Small populations are much less likely to...

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Infectious disease, endangerment, and extinction.

Ross D E Macphee¹, Alex D Greenwood

¹Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, USA.

International Journal of Evolutionary Biology

|February 13, 2013

Summary

Infectious diseases, particularly virulent strains, may be underestimated as a cause of species endangerment and extinction. Recent advances offer new insights into disease impacts on wildlife populations.

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Area of Science:

Ecology
Epidemiology
Conservation Biology

Background:

Infectious diseases are recognized drivers of population fluctuations in wildlife.
However, their role in causing species endangerment or extinction is often considered secondary.

Purpose of the Study:

To review historical and recent examples of diseases impacting animal species.
To assess the role of infectious diseases in species endangerment and extinction.

Main Methods:

Literature review of historical and contemporary case studies.
Analysis of assumed and confirmed disease-related impacts on animal populations.

Main Results:

Several historical examples suggest disease has caused significant population declines and extinctions.
Recent cases indicate infectious diseases are primary suspects in current species endangerment.

Conclusions:

The contribution of infectious diseases to historical extinctions may be significantly underestimated.
Emerging methodologies will improve understanding of disease dynamics in wildlife conservation.