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SUMMARY:How can host immunity shape parasite evolution? - Dr Grainne Long\
 , London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
DTSTART:20110525T153000Z
DTEND:20110525T163000Z
UID:TALK31302@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Suzy Blows
DESCRIPTION:Host immune responses against parasitic infection undoubtedly 
 exert significant selective pressures on the evolution of parasite traits\
 , such as virulence. The majority of theoretical and empirical work in thi
 s area has focused on the evolutionary consequences of immune responses th
 at are purely protective\, acting solely to decrease parasite density and 
 thus to reduce disease severity and risk of host death. Using rodent model
 s of malaria and whooping cough\, I will present results of experiments ex
 ploring how parasite exploitation strategies might evolve in two different
 \, but commonly encountered ‘immune scenarios’\; those of (i) immunopa
 thology (defined here as immune responses that increase the risk of host d
 eath) and (ii) imperfect vaccines (defined here as vaccines which confer p
 artial/incomplete immunity against infection)\, respectively. (i) Using a 
 rodent malaria model (Plasmodium chabaudi)\, we show that infection-induce
 d immunopathology and parasite genetic variability may together have the p
 otential to shape malaria virulence evolution. In accord with recent theor
 y\, the data show that some forms of immunopathology may select for malari
 a parasites that make hosts less sick. (ii) Using a rodent model of human 
 whooping cough infection (Bordetella pertussis and B. parapertussis)\, we 
 demonstrate how the commonly used acellular whooping cough vaccine (aP) in
 terferes with the optimal clearance of a sub-species of the human infectin
 g bordetellae (Bordetella parapertussis) and enhances the performance of t
 his pathogen. These data raise the possibility that widespread aP vaccinat
 ion can create hosts more susceptible to B. parapertussis infection and ma
 y ultimately lead to an increase in B. parapertussis prevalence. The fitne
 ss consequences to parasites of variations in immune environment must be b
 etter understood in order to predict trajectories of parasite evolution in
  heterogeneous host populations and in response to medical interventions.
LOCATION:Lecture Theatre 1\, Department of Veterinary Medicine
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