The Evolution and Maintenance of Virulence in Microparasites
In recent years, population and evolutionary biologists have questioned the traditional view that parasite-mediated morbidity and mortality—virulence—is a primitive character and an artifact of recent associations between parasites and their hosts. A number of hypotheses have been proposed that favo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1996-04-01
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| Series: | Emerging Infectious Diseases |
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| Online Access: | https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/2/2/96-0203_article |
| _version_ | 1818553121656274944 |
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| author | Bruce R. Levin |
| author_facet | Bruce R. Levin |
| author_sort | Bruce R. Levin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent years, population and evolutionary biologists have questioned the traditional view that parasite-mediated morbidity and mortality—virulence—is a primitive character and an artifact of recent associations between parasites and their hosts. A number of hypotheses have been proposed that favor virulence and suggest that it will be maintained by natural selection. According to some of these hypotheses, the pathogenicity of HIV, Vibrio cholerae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the Shigella, as well as Plasmodium falciparum, and many other microparasites, are not only maintained by natural selection, but their virulence increases or decreases as an evolutionary response to changes in environmental conditions or the density and/or behavior of the human population. Other hypotheses propose that the virulence of microparasites is not directly favored by natural selection; rather, microparasite-mediated morbidity and mortality are either coincidental to parasite-expressed characters (virulence determinants that evolved for other functions) or the product of short-sighted evolution in infected hosts. These hypotheses for the evolution and maintenance of microparasite virulence are critically reviewed, and suggestions are made for testing them experimentally. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T09:21:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f29cf81733cb4093b5c92c9b4c29e73c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1080-6040 1080-6059 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T09:21:49Z |
| publishDate | 1996-04-01 |
| publisher | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Emerging Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-f29cf81733cb4093b5c92c9b4c29e73c2022-12-22T00:29:12ZengCenters for Disease Control and PreventionEmerging Infectious Diseases1080-60401080-60591996-04-01229310210.3201/eid0202.960203The Evolution and Maintenance of Virulence in MicroparasitesBruce R. LevinIn recent years, population and evolutionary biologists have questioned the traditional view that parasite-mediated morbidity and mortality—virulence—is a primitive character and an artifact of recent associations between parasites and their hosts. A number of hypotheses have been proposed that favor virulence and suggest that it will be maintained by natural selection. According to some of these hypotheses, the pathogenicity of HIV, Vibrio cholerae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the Shigella, as well as Plasmodium falciparum, and many other microparasites, are not only maintained by natural selection, but their virulence increases or decreases as an evolutionary response to changes in environmental conditions or the density and/or behavior of the human population. Other hypotheses propose that the virulence of microparasites is not directly favored by natural selection; rather, microparasite-mediated morbidity and mortality are either coincidental to parasite-expressed characters (virulence determinants that evolved for other functions) or the product of short-sighted evolution in infected hosts. These hypotheses for the evolution and maintenance of microparasite virulence are critically reviewed, and suggestions are made for testing them experimentally.https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/2/2/96-0203_articleUnited States |
| spellingShingle | Bruce R. Levin The Evolution and Maintenance of Virulence in Microparasites Emerging Infectious Diseases United States |
| title | The Evolution and Maintenance of Virulence in Microparasites |
| title_full | The Evolution and Maintenance of Virulence in Microparasites |
| title_fullStr | The Evolution and Maintenance of Virulence in Microparasites |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Evolution and Maintenance of Virulence in Microparasites |
| title_short | The Evolution and Maintenance of Virulence in Microparasites |
| title_sort | evolution and maintenance of virulence in microparasites |
| topic | United States |
| url | https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/2/2/96-0203_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT brucerlevin theevolutionandmaintenanceofvirulenceinmicroparasites AT brucerlevin evolutionandmaintenanceofvirulenceinmicroparasites |