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Animals and Parasites
Animals and Parasites
Animals and Parasites
Terante
EDSCI 211
DR. MARY MAE M. CHEUNG
are fascinating, but well beyond what can be covered in this book. In turn, there are
remarkable adaptations on the parts of parasites to limit the influence of host
responses or even use those responses to benefit the parasite (Hayunga 1979;
Parker and Schneider 1981; Damian 1987; Loker 1994). There are also behavioral
defenses that can be strikingly effective behaviors that can engender or
accompany fever or chills, that can purge external or internal parasites, that can
protect kin (Hart 1988, 1990, 1994). These are behavioral responses that minimize
the success of parasites, perhaps as effectively as physiological defenses do. Hart
(1990, 1994) suggested two requirements for attributing defense against parasites
to a given behavior. First, the parasite should reduce host fitness; there should be a
cost associated with having the parasite. Second, the behavior should limit or
eliminate the parasite. The cost of the behavior would be offset by the benefit of
reducing the cost of the parasite. As discussed in chapter 4, such criteria are often
difficult to satisfy. Much like behaviors that are alleged to enhance parasite
transmission, behaviors that are alleged to enhance host defense frequently lack
rigorous experimental examination. This chapter covers aspects of behavior that do
not necessarily always meet Hart's criteria; some are even anecdotal. I include
them because they illustrate the broad scope of the possible, indeed perhaps even
the likely, if we only knew more about these interactions. One would do well,
however, to keep Hart's criteria in mind. In considering these defensive behaviors, I
limit them to behaviors that are prompted by the successful transmission/invasion
of a parasite (i.e., the behavior of the infected host) and that thus can truncate
parasite fecundity and/or life span within or upon the host. Behaviors that result in
parasite avoidance (thus reducing successful transmission itself) are discussed in
chapter 4. Many defensive behaviors have been recognized only recently as
important contributors to animal health, and I suspect more will be discovered in
the near future. Wakelin (1997) has suggested that the dangers of pathology
associated with immune response may result in moderate immunological responses
of limited effect. If this is the case, then behavioral avoidance and resistance may
be even more important in host defense than previously acknowledged.
and parthenogenetic females inhabit the small intestine. Eggs passed from
the host can produce either parasitic female larvae (homogonic life cycle) or
free-living male or female worms (heterogonic life cycle). The latter can
produce either infectious parasitic or free-living forms. Infection occurs when
larvae enter the host either by ingestion or by penetration of the skin, after
which they migrate into blood vessels and are carried to the lungs, where
they enter the alveoli. They are then carried up the airways to the trachea
and are swallowed. In the intestine the larvae develop into mature females
within the intestinal crypts. Vertebrate parasites are found only in the
superfamily Rhabditoidea. Superfamily Rhabditoidea Members of this
superfamily are commonly associated with soiled living conditions.
Vertebrate parasites are found in the families Rhabditidae and
Strongyloididae.
Baker, D. G. (Ed.). (2008). Flynn's Parasites of Laboratory
Animals (2). Hoboken, US: Wiley-Blackwell. Retrieved from
http://www.ebrary.com
Introduction
Valerie T. Eviner
While many studies demonstrate that pathogens can have dramatic
impacts on their hosts, substantially fewer studies have explored the
ecological consequences of these pathogeninduced changes in hosts.
Pathogen effects on host behavior, reproduction, and mortality can infl uence
community interactions such as competition, facilitation, predation, and
invasion. These pathogeninduced changes in host individuals and
communities can have strong impacts on ecosystem pro cesses (e.g.,
productivity, nutrient cycling) and landscape structure and function (e.g.,
disturbance regimes, land use, landatmosphere interactions). While we know
that pathogens have the potential to shape communities, ecosystems, and
landscapes, we still have poor ability to predict the magnitude and duration
of the impacts of any specifi c pathogen, or how the impacts of that
pathogen will vary depending on biotic and abiotic factors. Our goal in this
section was to incorporate the role of disease into our conceptual models for
community, ecosystem, and landscape ecol ogy in order to enhance our
ability to predict and manage ecosystems and pathogens. Such an endeavor
requires going beyond the expertise of any one research group, integrating