Species diversity concurrently dilutes and amplifies transmission in a zoonotic host-pathogen system through competing mechanisms.

ABSTRACT: In this era of unprecedented biodiversity loss and increased zoonotic disease emergence, it is imperative to understand the effects of biodiversity on zoonotic pathogen dynamics in wildlife. Whether increasing biodiversity should lead to a decrease or increase in infection prevalence, termed the dilution and amplification effects, respectively, has been hotly debated in disease ecology. Sin Nombre hantavirus, which has an ∼35% mortality rate when it spills over into humans, occurs at a lower prevalence in the reservoir host, the North American deermouse, in areas with higher small mammal diversity-a dilution effect. However, the mechanism driving this relationship is not understood. Using a mechanistic mathematical model of infection dynamics and a unique long-term, high-resolution, multis

SUBMITTER: Luis AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6077700 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature