Fast-killing parasites can be favoured in spatially structured populations.

ABSTRACT: It is becoming increasingly clear that the evolution of infectious disease is influenced by host population structure. Theory predicts that parasites should be more 'prudent'-less transmissible-in spatially structured host populations. However, here we (i) highlight how low transmission, the phenotype being selected for in this in context, may also be achieved by rapacious host exploitation, if fast host exploitation confers a local, within-host competitive advantage and (ii) test this novel concept in a bacteria-virus system. We found that limited host availability and, to a lesser extent, low relatedness favour faster-killing parasites with reduced transmission. By contrast, high host availability and high relatedness favour slower-killing, more transmissible parasites. Our results sugge

SUBMITTER: Leggett HC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5352822 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature