The effects of host diversity on vector-borne disease: the conditions under which diversity will amplify or dilute the disease risk.

ABSTRACT: Multihost vector-borne infectious diseases form a significant fraction of the global infectious disease burden. In this study we explore the relationship between host diversity, vector behavior, and disease risk. To this end, we have developed a new dynamic model which includes two distinct host species and one vector species with variable preferences. With the aid of the model we were able to compute the basic reproductive rate, R 0, a well-established measure of disease risk that serves as a threshold parameter for disease outbreak. The model analysis reveals that the system has two different qualitative behaviors: (i) the well-known dilution effect, where the maximal R0 is obtained in a community which consists a single host (ii) a new amplification effect, denoted by us as diversity am

SUBMITTER: Miller E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3841118 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature