Exploring the influence of competition on arbovirus invasion risk in communities.

Arbovirus outbreaks in communities are affected by how vectors, hosts and non-competent species interact. In this study, we investigate how ecological interactions between species and epidemiological processes influence the invasion potential of a vector-borne disease. We use an eco-epidemiological...

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Main Authors: Afonso Dimas Martins, Quirine Ten Bosch, J A P Heesterbeek
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275687
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author Afonso Dimas Martins
Quirine Ten Bosch
J A P Heesterbeek
author_facet Afonso Dimas Martins
Quirine Ten Bosch
J A P Heesterbeek
author_sort Afonso Dimas Martins
collection DOAJ
description Arbovirus outbreaks in communities are affected by how vectors, hosts and non-competent species interact. In this study, we investigate how ecological interactions between species and epidemiological processes influence the invasion potential of a vector-borne disease. We use an eco-epidemiological model to explore the basic reproduction number R0 for a range of interaction strengths in key processes, using West Nile virus infection to parameterize the model. We focus our analysis on intra and interspecific competition between vectors and between hosts, as well as competition with non-competent species. We show that such ecological competition has non-linear effects on R0 and can greatly impact invasion risk. The presence of multiple competing vector species results in lower values for R0 while host competition leads to the highest values of risk of disease invasion. These effects can be understood in terms of how the competitive pressures influence the vector-to-host ratio, which has a positive relationship with R0. We also show numerical examples of how vector feeding preferences become more relevant in high competition conditions between hosts. Under certain conditions, non-competent hosts, which can lead to a dilution effect for the pathogen, can have an amplification effect if they compete strongly with the competent hosts, hence facilitating pathogen invasion in the community.
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spelling doaj.art-605f25c671b9419fb8cf0be1c09decc72022-12-22T03:25:24ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-011710e027568710.1371/journal.pone.0275687Exploring the influence of competition on arbovirus invasion risk in communities.Afonso Dimas MartinsQuirine Ten BoschJ A P HeesterbeekArbovirus outbreaks in communities are affected by how vectors, hosts and non-competent species interact. In this study, we investigate how ecological interactions between species and epidemiological processes influence the invasion potential of a vector-borne disease. We use an eco-epidemiological model to explore the basic reproduction number R0 for a range of interaction strengths in key processes, using West Nile virus infection to parameterize the model. We focus our analysis on intra and interspecific competition between vectors and between hosts, as well as competition with non-competent species. We show that such ecological competition has non-linear effects on R0 and can greatly impact invasion risk. The presence of multiple competing vector species results in lower values for R0 while host competition leads to the highest values of risk of disease invasion. These effects can be understood in terms of how the competitive pressures influence the vector-to-host ratio, which has a positive relationship with R0. We also show numerical examples of how vector feeding preferences become more relevant in high competition conditions between hosts. Under certain conditions, non-competent hosts, which can lead to a dilution effect for the pathogen, can have an amplification effect if they compete strongly with the competent hosts, hence facilitating pathogen invasion in the community.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275687
spellingShingle Afonso Dimas Martins
Quirine Ten Bosch
J A P Heesterbeek
Exploring the influence of competition on arbovirus invasion risk in communities.
PLoS ONE
title Exploring the influence of competition on arbovirus invasion risk in communities.
title_full Exploring the influence of competition on arbovirus invasion risk in communities.
title_fullStr Exploring the influence of competition on arbovirus invasion risk in communities.
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the influence of competition on arbovirus invasion risk in communities.
title_short Exploring the influence of competition on arbovirus invasion risk in communities.
title_sort exploring the influence of competition on arbovirus invasion risk in communities
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275687
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