Abstract
Many disease systems exhibit complexities not captured by current theoretical and empirical work. In particular, systems with multiple host species and multiple infectious agents (i.e., multi-host, multi-agent systems) require novel methods to extend the wealth of knowledge acquired studying primarily single-host, single-agent systems. We outline eight challenges in multi-host, multi-agent systems that could substantively increase our knowledge of the drivers and broader ecosystem effects of infectious disease dynamics.
Highlights
Over the past 20 years, a combination of theoretical, observational, and experimental approaches has advanced our understanding of the ecology of infectious diseases
We outline eight challenges that will be important to understanding disease dynamics in multihost, multi-agent systems, at scales from within-host dynamics to ecosystem-level processes
In many systems multiple host species can be infected, suggesting that an infectious agent may be maintained by several host species in a maintenance community (Haydon et al, 2002)
Summary
Over the past 20 years, a combination of theoretical, observational, and experimental approaches has advanced our understanding of the ecology of infectious diseases. The predominance of R0 in disease ecology has sometimes overshadowed complexities that can influence dynamics, such as feedbacks between diseases and ecosystem structure and function. Inclusion of these complexities will require re-interpretation and extension of these foundational concepts, as well as novel modelling tools, data, and thinking. Problem is exemplified by disease systems involving interactions among multiple host species and/or multiple infectious agents. In these systems, we can hope to borrow principles from community ecology and build on the strong link between disease dynamics and population ecology. We outline eight challenges that will be important to understanding disease dynamics in multihost, multi-agent systems, at scales from within-host dynamics to ecosystem-level processes
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