Eco-evolutionary dynamics of adapting pathogens and host immunity.

ABSTRACT: As pathogens spread in a population of hosts, immunity is built up, and the pool of susceptible individuals are depleted. This generates selective pressure, to which many human RNA viruses, such as influenza virus or SARS-CoV-2, respond with rapid antigenic evolution and frequent emergence of immune evasive variants. However, the host's immune systems adapt, and older immune responses wane, such that escape variants only enjoy a growth advantage for a limited time. If variant growth dynamics and reshaping of host-immunity operate on comparable time scales, viral adaptation is determined by eco-evolutionary interactions that are not captured by models of rapid evolution in a fixed environment. Here, we use a Susceptible/Infected model to describe the interaction between an evolving viral po

SUBMITTER: Barrat-Charlaix P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11677248 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature