Sex differences in parasite infections: Patterns and processes

Zuk, Marlene; McKean, Kurt A.

doi:10.1016/s0020-7519(96)80001-4

Cited by 781 publications

(673 citation statements)

References 97 publications

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“…The underlying mechanisms behind such discrepancies are often divided into 2 broad categories, namely ecological and physiological (Zuk and McKean, 1996 ;Morales-Montor et al 2004). The ecological mechanisms within our system are likely to be related to factors such as behavioural differences between the sexes in habitat use and hence variable exposure to parasites.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trypanosomes, fleas and field voles: ecological dynamics of a host-vector–parasite interaction

et al. 2005

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To investigate the prevalence of a flea-borne protozoan (Trypanosoma (Herpetosoma) microti) in its field vole (Microtus agrestis) host, we monitored over a 2-year period a range of intrinsic and extrinsic parameters pertaining to host demographics, infection status and vector (flea) prevalence. Generalized Linear Mixed Modelling was used to analyse patterns of both flea and trypanosome occurrence. Overall, males of all sizes and ages were more likely to be infested with fleas than their female counterparts. Flea prevalence also showed direct density dependence during the winter, but patterns of density dependence varied amongst body mass (age) classes during the summer. Trypanosome prevalence did not vary between the sexes but was positively related to past flea prevalence with a lag of 3 months, with the highest levels occurring during the autumn season. A convex age-prevalence distribution was observed, suggesting that individuals develop a degree of immunity to trypanosome infection with age and exposure. An interaction between age and whether the individual was new or recaptured suggested that infected animals are less likely to become territory holders than their uninfected counterparts.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trypanosomes, fleas and field voles: ecological dynamics of a host-vector–parasite interaction

et al. 2005

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“…For example, differences in parasite prevalence between males and females are found in a wide range of taxa (see Zuk and McKean, 1996). Intriguingly, males usually show greater parasite prevalence (Klein, 2000;Zuk and Stoehr, 2002;Zuk, 2009;Schmid-Hempel, 2011), due to a trade-off between mating efforts and immunocompetence -and consequently susceptibility to disease: the more resources are spent to procure a mate the less are available for defense against parasites (Schmid-Hempel, 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subtle effect of Xenos vesparum (Xenidae, Strepsiptera) on the reproductive apparatus of its male host: Parasite or parasitoid?

Beani

Marchini

Cappa

et al. 2017

Journal of Insect Physiology

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A B S T R A C TParasitic castration is an adaptive strategy where parasites usurp the hosts' reproductive physiology to complete their life cycle. The alterations in the host traits vary in their magnitude, from subtle changes in the host morphophysiology and behaviour to the production of complex aberrant phenotypes, which often depend on the host gender. The strepsipteran macroparasite Xenos vesparum induces dramatic behavioural and physiological changes in its female host, the paper wasp Polistes dominula, while its effect on the male phenotype is largely unknown.In this study we investigated how a single X. vesparum parasite influences the functional morphology of P. dominula male reproductive apparatus. We performed morphometry and ultrastructure characterization of corpora allata, testes, seminal vesicles and accessory glands in parasitized and unparasitized males, and also in young and old males to control for the effect of age on the natural deterioration of these organs. Our results show that age significantly affects the development of male reproductive apparatus. A low parasite load -one parasite per host is the common prevalence in the field -has only a marginal impact on the reproductive morphology of P. dominula males, affecting quantitatively but not qualitatively the protein content of male accessory glands. Thus, in male P. dominula wasps, X. vesparum appears to behave as a true "parasite", in clear opposition to the role of "parasitoid" that it takes in female hosts where castration causes the reproductive death.

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“…Furthermore, more males harboured mites than females. Gender differences in natural parasitic infections are frequently observed in vertebrates (reviewed by Zuk & McKean, 1996). These differences are usually attributed to ecological (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An experimental field approach to parasitism and immune defence in voles

et al. 2004

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The fox tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis is typically perpetuated in a cycle with red foxes as definitive hosts and various rodent species as intermediate hosts. In this study, foxes were baited with a highly efficient drug against cestodes (praziquantel) in 5 blocks of 1 km 2 . Voles, Arvicola terrestris, the most abundant intermediate host species, were trapped in the 5 baited blocks and in 5 non-baited control blocks. Baiting the foxes reduced the prevalence of E. multilocularis in fox faecal samples in the baited blocks, but voles trapped in the two blocks did not differ in their infection rates. However, voles from the baited blocks had significantly smaller spleen masses and were more likely to be infested with mites than those from the control blocks, possibly reflecting different immunological activities. Our study suggests that the environmental contamination with E. multilocularis eggs, and perhaps those of other tapeworms, influences the immune system of the intermediate host species A. terrestris in the wild.

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Sex differences in parasite infections: Patterns and processes

Cited by 781 publications

References 97 publications

Trypanosomes, fleas and field voles: ecological dynamics of a host-vector–parasite interaction

Trypanosomes, fleas and field voles: ecological dynamics of a host-vector–parasite interaction

Subtle effect of Xenos vesparum (Xenidae, Strepsiptera) on the reproductive apparatus of its male host: Parasite or parasitoid?

An experimental field approach to parasitism and immune defence in voles

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