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Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Author Spotlight: Real-Time Monitoring of Parasite Burden and Host Response
Published on: May 31, 2024
(macro-) Evolutionary ecology of parasite diversity: From determinants of parasite species richness to host
1CNRS ISEM - CIRAD AGIRs, Centre d'Infectiologie Christophe Mérieux du Laos, Vientiane, Lao Democratic People's Republic.
Abstract:
The present review summarized the factors or determinants that may explain parasite diversity among host species and the consequences of this parasite diversity on the evolution of host-life history traits. As host-parasite interactions are asymmetrical exploited-exploiter relationships, ecological and epidemiological theories produce hypotheses to find the potential determinants of parasite species richness, while life-history theory helps for testing potential consequences on parasite diversity on the evolution of hosts. This review referred only to studies that have specifically controlled or took into account phylogenetic information illustrated with parasites of mammals. Several points needing more investigation were identified with a special emphasis to develop the metabolic theory of epidemiology.
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