Transgenerational pathogen effects: Maternal pathogen exposure reduces offspring fitness.

ABSTRACT: Pathogens can alter the phenotype not only of exposed hosts, but also of future generations. Transgenerational immune priming, where parental infection drives reduced susceptibility of offspring, has been particularly well explored, but pathogens can also alter life history traits of offspring. Here, we examined the potential for transgenerational impacts of a microsporidian pathogen, Ordospora pajunii, by experimentally measuring the impact of maternal exposure on offspring fitness in the presence and absence of parasites, and then developing mathematical models that explored the population-level impacts of these transgenerational effects. We did not find evidence of transgenerational immune priming: offspring of exposed mothers became infected at high rates, similar to offspring of unexp

SUBMITTER: McIntire KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12411831 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature