Coinfection Frequency in Water Flea Populations is a Mere Reflection of Parasite Diversity

Overview

Journal Commun Biol

Specialty Biology

Date 2024 May 11

PMID 38734859

Authors

Snir Halle

Ofir Hirshberg

Florent Manzi

Justyna Wolinska

Frida Ben-Ami

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In nature, parasite species often coinfect the same host. Yet, it is not clear what drives the natural dynamics of coinfection prevalence. The prevalence of coinfections might be affected by interactions among coinfecting species, or simply derive from parasite diversity. Identifying the relative impact of these parameters is crucial for understanding patterns of coinfections. We studied the occurrence and likelihood of coinfections in natural populations of water fleas (Daphnia magna). Coinfection prevalence was within the bounds expected by chance and parasite diversity had a strong positive effect on the likelihood of coinfections. Additionally, coinfection prevalence increased over the season and became as common as a single infection. Our results demonstrate how patterns of coinfection, and particularly their temporal variation, are affected by overlapping epidemics of different parasites. We suggest that monitoring parasite diversity can help predict where and when coinfection prevalence will be high, potentially leading to increased health risks to their hosts.

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