Transmission-clearance trade-offs indicate that dengue virulence evolution depends on epidemiological context.

ABSTRACT: An extensive body of theory addresses the topic of pathogen virulence evolution, yet few studies have empirically demonstrated the presence of fitness trade-offs that would select for intermediate virulence. Here we show the presence of transmission-clearance trade-offs in dengue virus using viremia measurements. By fitting a within-host model to these data, we further find that the interaction between dengue and the host immune response can account for the observed trade-offs. Finally, we consider dengue virulence evolution when selection acts on the virus's production rate. By combining within-host model simulations with empirical findings on how host viral load affects human-to-mosquito transmission success, we show that the virus's transmission potential is maximized at production rate

SUBMITTER: Ben-Shachar R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6003961 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature