Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases

Abstract

During the last thirty years, the ecology and evolution of infectious diseases has been studied extensively. Understanding how pathogens are transmitted in time and space, how they are evolving according to different selective pressures, and how the environment can influence their transmission, has paved the way for new approaches to the study of host/pathogen interactions. At the same time, pathogen control in low-income countries (LIC) has tended to remain largely inspired and informed by classical epidemiology, where the objective is to treat as many people as possible, despite recent findings in ecology and evolutionary biology suggesting new opportunities for improved disease control in the context of limited economic resources. The need to integrate the scientific developments in ecology and evolution of infectious diseases with public health strategy in low-income countries is clearly as important today as it has ever been. In this book, the authors provide an up to date, authoritative, and challenging review of the ecology and evolution of infectious diseases focusing on low-income countries for effective public health applications and outcomes. Accessible to students and researchers working on evolutionary ecology of infectious diseases and public health scientists working on their control in low-income countries, this book combines chapters exposing fundamental concepts in evolutionary ecology with others exploring the most recent advances in the field as well as highlighting how they can provide new innovative approach on the field. This work is concluded by an integrative chapter signed by all the authors highlighting the key missing points to improve this connection between evolutionary ecology and public health in low-income countries.