Evolution of virulence: triggering host inflammation allows invading pathogens to exclude competitors |
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Authors: | Brown Sam P Le Chat Ludovic Taddei François |
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Institution: | Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK; London School of Hygiene &Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK; University of Paris 5, Faculty of Medicine, INSERM, U571, 156 Rue de Vaugirard, F-75730 Paris 15, France |
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Abstract: | Virulence is generally considered to benefit parasites by enhancing resource-transfer from host to pathogen. Here, we offer an alternative framework where virulent immune-provoking behaviours and enhanced immune resistance are joint tactics of invading pathogens to eliminate resident competitors (transferring resources from resident to invading pathogen). The pathogen wins by creating a novel immunological challenge to which it is already adapted. We analyse a general ecological model of 'proactive invasion' where invaders not adapted to a local environment can succeed by changing it to one where they are better adapted than residents. However, the two-trait nature of the 'proactive' strategy (provocation of, and adaptation to environmental change) presents an evolutionary conundrum, as neither trait alone is favoured in a homogenous host population. We show that this conundrum can be resolved by allowing for host heterogeneity. We relate our model to emerging empirical findings on immunological mediation of parasite competition. |
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Keywords: | Allelopathy gut pathogens host manipulation multiple infection niche construction parasite epidemiology rock paper scissors virulence within-host dynamics |
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