Mapping the social network: tracking lice in a wild primate (Microcebus rufus) population to infer social contacts and vector potential.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Studies of host-parasite interactions have the potential to provide insights into the ecology of both organisms involved. We monitored the movement of sucking lice (Lemurpediculus verruculosus), parasites that require direct host-host contact to be transferred, in their host population of wild mouse lemurs (Microcebus rufus). These lemurs live in the rainforests of Madagascar, are small (40 g), arboreal, nocturnal, solitary foraging primates for which data on population-wide interactions are difficult to obtain. We developed a simple, cost effective method exploiting the intimate relationship between louse and lemur, whereby individual lice were marked, without removal from their host, with an individualized code, and tracked throughout the lemur population. We then test

SUBMITTER: Zohdy S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3338373 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature