Competing for blood: the ecology of parasite resource competition in human malaria-helminth co-infections.
Ecol Lett
; 21(4): 536-545, 2018 04.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-29417715
ABSTRACT
Ecological theory suggests that co-infecting parasite species can interact within hosts directly, via host immunity and/or via resource competition. In mice, competition for red blood cells (RBCs) between malaria and bloodsucking helminths can regulate malaria population dynamics, but the importance of RBC competition in human hosts was unknown. We analysed infection density (i.e. the concentration of parasites in infected hosts), from a 2-year deworming study of over 4000 human subjects. After accounting for resource-use differences among parasites, we find evidence of resource competition, priority effects and a competitive hierarchy within co-infected individuals. For example reducing competition via deworming increased Plasmodium vivax densities 2.8-fold, and this effect is limited to bloodsucking hookworms. Our ecological, resource-based perspective sheds new light into decades of conflicting outcomes of malaria-helminth co-infection studies with significant health and transmission consequences. Beyond blood, investigating within-human resource competition may bring new insights for improving human health.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Parasitos
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Coinfecção
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Helmintíase
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Malária
Limite:
Animals
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Humans
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2018
Tipo de documento:
Article