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Sex differences in parasite infections: patterns and processes

M Zuk1, K A McKean

  • 1Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside 92521, USA. mzuk@citrus.ucr.edu

International Journal for Parasitology
|October 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary
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Sex differences in parasite infection are common, driven by ecological or hormonal factors. Evolutionary pressures, particularly sexual selection, shape male traits making them more vulnerable to disease.

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Parasitology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Sex differences in parasite infection rates, intensity, and population dynamics are prevalent across taxa.
  • These differences are often attributed to ecological (behavior, morphology) or physiological (hormonal) factors.
  • Testosterone's link to the immune system often makes males more susceptible to parasites.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the evolutionary basis of sex differences in disease susceptibility.
  • To investigate the role of sexual selection in shaping male vulnerability to parasites.
  • To examine how mating systems influence sex-specific infection patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on sex differences in host-parasite interactions.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of evolutionary hypotheses regarding sexual selection and disease.
  • Consideration of proximate mechanistic explanations alongside ultimate evolutionary causes.

    • Main Results:

    • Sex differences in disease susceptibility are proposed to be an evolved trait, shaped by differential selection on males and females.
    • Male traits, often testosterone-dependent and favored by sexual selection (e.g., ornaments), can increase disease vulnerability.
    • Mating systems, such as polygyny, intensify sexual selection and may correlate with greater sex differences in infection.

    Conclusions:

    • Understanding sex differences in disease requires integrating evolutionary perspectives with proximate mechanisms.
    • Sexual selection may impose a trade-off between reproductive success and immune function in males.
    • Further research is needed to determine if these evolutionary patterns extend to invertebrates lacking testosterone.