Environmental Factors and Host Microbiomes Shape Host-Pathogen Dynamics.

Environmental Factors and Host Microbiomes Shape Host-Pathogen Dynamics. Trends Parasitol. 2020 May 10;: Authors: Bernardo-Cravo AP, Schmeller DS, Chatzinotas A, Vredenburg VT, Loyau A Abstract Microorganisms are increasingly recognized as ecosystem-relevant components because they affect the population dynamics of hosts. Functioning at the interface of the host and pathogen, skin and gut microbiomes are vital components of immunity. Recent work reveals a strong influence of biotic and abiotic environmental factors (including the environmental microbiome) on disease dynamics, yet the importance of the host-host microbiome-pathogen-environment interaction has been poorly reflected in theory. We use amphibians and the disease chytridiomycosis caused by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis to show how interactions between host, host microbiome, pathogen, and the environment all affect disease outcome. Our review provides new perspectives that improve our understanding of disease dynamics and ecology by incorporating environmental factors and microbiomes into disease theory. PMID: 32402837 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Trends in Parasitology - Category: Parasitology Authors: Tags: Trends Parasitol Source Type: research