Co‐Infection, but Not Infection Intensity, Increases Shedding in a Gastrointestinal Helminth of Gamebirds
ABSTRACT Host heterogeneity in disease transmission is commonly seen across host‐pathogen systems, and identifying individuals who contribute disproportionately to pathogen transmission (i.e., superspreaders) is key to understanding disease dynamics and managing outbreaks. It is often assumed that s...
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| Format: | Article |
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Wiley
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71483 |
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| author | Katherine Prescott Emile Michels Barbara Tschirren |
| author_facet | Katherine Prescott Emile Michels Barbara Tschirren |
| author_sort | Katherine Prescott |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Host heterogeneity in disease transmission is commonly seen across host‐pathogen systems, and identifying individuals who contribute disproportionately to pathogen transmission (i.e., superspreaders) is key to understanding disease dynamics and managing outbreaks. It is often assumed that shedding intensity is directly proportional to infection intensity. However, theory predicts that co‐infection might modulate the relationship between infection intensity and shedding, promoting increased onward transmission. Here, we quantify the relative importance of infection intensity and co‐infection on shedding in Heterakis gallinarum, a gastrointestinal helminth of gamebirds, in a population of ring‐necked pheasants during the shooting season of 2023. We found that infection intensity was a poor predictor of shedding intensity. Instead, increased shedding was linked to co‐infections with other endoparasites. Hosts co‐infected with Syngamus trachea, Capillaria spp. and/or Eimeria spp. exhibited higher shedding intensity of H. gallinarum than those infected with H. gallinarum alone. This effect was additive, with each additional co‐infection further increasing H. gallinarum shedding. There were no sex differences in shedding, but male hosts had higher H. gallinarum infection intensities. Our results show that shedding intensity is not simply explained by infection intensity, but rather is the result of complex host–parasite and parasite–parasite interactions. This highlights the importance of considering such interactions in understanding disease emergence and persistence in natural populations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e37948d1eb844801ba5f94ae932ec7a3 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-e37948d1eb844801ba5f94ae932ec7a32025-08-20T02:43:38ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-06-01156n/an/a10.1002/ece3.71483Co‐Infection, but Not Infection Intensity, Increases Shedding in a Gastrointestinal Helminth of GamebirdsKatherine Prescott0Emile Michels1Barbara Tschirren2Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn UKCentre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn UKCentre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn UKABSTRACT Host heterogeneity in disease transmission is commonly seen across host‐pathogen systems, and identifying individuals who contribute disproportionately to pathogen transmission (i.e., superspreaders) is key to understanding disease dynamics and managing outbreaks. It is often assumed that shedding intensity is directly proportional to infection intensity. However, theory predicts that co‐infection might modulate the relationship between infection intensity and shedding, promoting increased onward transmission. Here, we quantify the relative importance of infection intensity and co‐infection on shedding in Heterakis gallinarum, a gastrointestinal helminth of gamebirds, in a population of ring‐necked pheasants during the shooting season of 2023. We found that infection intensity was a poor predictor of shedding intensity. Instead, increased shedding was linked to co‐infections with other endoparasites. Hosts co‐infected with Syngamus trachea, Capillaria spp. and/or Eimeria spp. exhibited higher shedding intensity of H. gallinarum than those infected with H. gallinarum alone. This effect was additive, with each additional co‐infection further increasing H. gallinarum shedding. There were no sex differences in shedding, but male hosts had higher H. gallinarum infection intensities. Our results show that shedding intensity is not simply explained by infection intensity, but rather is the result of complex host–parasite and parasite–parasite interactions. This highlights the importance of considering such interactions in understanding disease emergence and persistence in natural populations.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71483disease ecologyhost–parasite interactionsinfectious disease transmissionsupersheddersvirulence evolutionwildlife disease dynamics |
| spellingShingle | Katherine Prescott Emile Michels Barbara Tschirren Co‐Infection, but Not Infection Intensity, Increases Shedding in a Gastrointestinal Helminth of Gamebirds Ecology and Evolution disease ecology host–parasite interactions infectious disease transmission supershedders virulence evolution wildlife disease dynamics |
| title | Co‐Infection, but Not Infection Intensity, Increases Shedding in a Gastrointestinal Helminth of Gamebirds |
| title_full | Co‐Infection, but Not Infection Intensity, Increases Shedding in a Gastrointestinal Helminth of Gamebirds |
| title_fullStr | Co‐Infection, but Not Infection Intensity, Increases Shedding in a Gastrointestinal Helminth of Gamebirds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Co‐Infection, but Not Infection Intensity, Increases Shedding in a Gastrointestinal Helminth of Gamebirds |
| title_short | Co‐Infection, but Not Infection Intensity, Increases Shedding in a Gastrointestinal Helminth of Gamebirds |
| title_sort | co infection but not infection intensity increases shedding in a gastrointestinal helminth of gamebirds |
| topic | disease ecology host–parasite interactions infectious disease transmission supershedders virulence evolution wildlife disease dynamics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71483 |
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