Abstract
Should we aim for genetic improvement in host resistance or tolerance to infectious pathogens?
Highlights
In contrast to the rapid expansion of identified genetic loci associated with host resistance, information of genetic loci or pathways associated with tolerance mechanisms is extremely sparse
Whilst improving host resistance could lead to disease eradication, this is unlikely if hosts are tolerant, as they can harbor the pathogen without showing obvious symptoms
This special research topic draws together animal scientists with expertise in molecular and quantitative genetics, immunology, epidemiology, evolutionary biology, and mathematical modeling to address the question “Should we aim for genetic improvement of host resistance or host tolerance to infectious pathogens” from different perspectives
Summary
In contrast to the rapid expansion of identified genetic loci associated with host resistance, information of genetic loci or pathways associated with tolerance mechanisms is extremely sparse. This is firstly because at genetic level, resistance and tolerance may be antagonistically related. Resistance and tolerance may have a similar impact on individual health and performance, they can have contrasting effects on performance outcomes and on disease prevalence at a population level.
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