Reversing resistance: different routes and common themes across pathogens

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Population genetics
• Microbial ecology

Background:

• Rapid spread of resistance in pathogen and pest populations threatens biocide efficacy.
• Limited understanding of population biological processes governing resistance reversion hinders management strategies.
• New biocides are often in short supply, increasing the need to reverse existing resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define population biological processes that drive the reversion of resistance.
• To identify factors influencing the rate and likelihood of resistance reversion.
• To improve predictions of where resistance is most likely to persist.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of examples from diverse taxa and biocides.
• Analysis of population biological processes affecting resistance dynamics.
• Examination of factors like fitness costs, coselection, and compensatory evolution.

Main Results:

• Reversion processes are characterized by the origin of susceptible genotypes.
• Coselection and compensatory evolution can significantly alter reversion rates.
• Different reversion mechanisms exhibit varying sensitivities to external factors.

Conclusions:

• Discriminating between types of resistance reversion allows for better prediction of persistence.
• Understanding these processes is crucial for managing resistance and prolonging biocide effectiveness.
• Further research into epidemiological scales and information needs for prediction is warranted.