Sapronosis: a distinctive type of infectious agent
Trends in Parasitology
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Abstract
Sapronotic disease agents have evolutionary and epidemiological properties unlike other infectious organisms. Their essential saprophagic existence prevents coevolution, and no host–parasite virulence trade-off can evolve. However, the host may evolve defenses. Models of pathogens show that sapronoses, lacking a threshold of transmission, cannot regulate host populations, although they can reduce host abundance and even extirpate their hosts. Immunocompromised hosts are relatively susceptible to sapronoses. Some particularly important sapronoses, such as cholera and anthrax, can sustain an epidemic in a host population. However, these microbes ultimately persist as saprophages. One-third of human infectious disease agents are sapronotic, including nearly all fungal diseases. Recognition that an infectious disease is sapronotic illuminates a need for effective environmental control strategies.
Suggested Citation
Kuris, A.M., Lafferty, K.D., and Sokolow, S.H., 2014, Sapronosis: a distinctive type of infectious agent: Trends in Parasitology, v. 30, no. 8, p. 386-393, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2014.06.006.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Sapronosis: a distinctive type of infectious agent |
| Series title | Trends in Parasitology |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.pt.2014.06.006 |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Year Published | 2014 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Contributing office(s) | Western Ecological Research Center |
| Description | 8 p. |
| First page | 386 |
| Last page | 393 |