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Spatial structure, host heterogeneity and parasite virulence: implications for vaccine-driven evolution.
Yazmín Hananí Zurita-Gutiérrez1, Sébastien Lion1
1Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive (CEFE), UMR 5175, CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE. 1919, route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
Ecology Letters
|June 9, 2015
Summary
Host heterogeneity and local dispersal influence parasite evolution. Spatial structure can alter parasite virulence, impacting disease management strategies and evolution, especially after vaccination.
Area of Science:
- Disease ecology
- Evolutionary biology
- Parasitology
Background:
- Host-parasite interactions show significant variation in host quality, impacting disease ecology and evolution.
- Treatments like vaccination can select for more transmissible or virulent parasite strains.
- Existing theories often assume global dispersal, overlooking local spatial effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the combined effects of host heterogeneity and local dispersal on parasite life-history evolution.
- To develop a theoretical framework integrating host quality variation and spatial structure.
- To apply this model to parasite evolution in the context of vaccination.
Main Methods:
- Formalized a general theoretical framework combining host quality variation and spatial structure.
- Applied the model to analyze parasite evolution post-vaccination.
- Compared predictions with and without spatial structure.
Main Results:
- Spatial structure, alongside host heterogeneity, influences the evolution of parasite life-history traits.
- Depending on vaccine type, spatial structure can lead to selection for higher or lower parasite virulence.
- Predictions differ from non-spatial models.
Conclusions:
- Spatial structure is a critical factor in understanding parasite evolution in heterogeneous host populations.
- Results have implications for disease management strategies, particularly concerning vaccination programs.
- Findings are relevant to other natural causes of host heterogeneity.
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