Coupled Heterogeneities and Their Impact on Parasite Transmission and Control

Gonzalo M Vazquez-Prokopec; T Alex Perkins; Lance A Waller; Alun L Lloyd; Robert C Reiner Jr; Thomas W Scott; Uriel Kitron

doi:10.1016/j.pt.2016.01.001

Coupled Heterogeneities and Their Impact on Parasite Transmission and Control

Trends Parasitol. 2016 May;32(5):356-367. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2016.01.001. Epub 2016 Feb 2.

Authors

Gonzalo M Vazquez-Prokopec¹, T Alex Perkins², Lance A Waller³, Alun L Lloyd⁴, Robert C Reiner Jr⁵, Thomas W Scott⁶, Uriel Kitron⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Biological Sciences and Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
³ Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁴ Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Biomathematics Graduate Program and Department of Mathematics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
⁵ Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
⁶ Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
⁷ Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Abstract

Most host-parasite systems exhibit remarkable heterogeneity in the contribution to transmission of certain individuals, locations, host infectious states, or parasite strains. While significant advancements have been made in the understanding of the impact of transmission heterogeneity in epidemic dynamics and parasite persistence and evolution, the knowledge base of the factors contributing to transmission heterogeneity is limited. We argue that research efforts should move beyond considering the impact of single sources of heterogeneity and account for complex couplings between conditions with potential synergistic impacts on parasite transmission. Using theoretical approaches and empirical evidence from various host-parasite systems, we investigate the ecological and epidemiological significance of couplings between heterogeneities and discuss their potential role in transmission dynamics and the impact of control.

Keywords: dengue; risk heterogeneity; superspreader; transmission heterogeneity; vector-borne pathogen; within-host dynamics.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Animals
Dengue / prevention & control
Dengue / transmission
Dengue Virus / physiology
Host-Parasite Interactions / immunology
Host-Parasite Interactions / physiology*
Humans
Parasites / physiology*
Parasitic Diseases / prevention & control*
Parasitic Diseases / transmission*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding