Evolution and manipulation of vector host choice

Abstract

The transmission of many animal and plant diseases relies on the behavior of arthropod vectors. In particular, the choice to feed on either infected or uninfected hosts can dramatically affect the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases. I develop an epidemiological model to explore the impact of host choice behavior on the dynamics of these diseases and to examine selection acting on vector behavior, but also on pathogen manipulation of this behavior. This model identifies multiple evolutionary conflicts over the control of this behavior and generates testable predictions under different scenarios. In general, the vector should evolve the ability to avoid infected hosts. However, if the vector behavior is under the control of the pathogen, uninfected vectors should prefer infected hosts while infected vectors should seek uninfected hosts. But some mechanistic constraints on pathogen manipulation ability may alter these predictions. These theoretical results are discussed in the light of observed behavioral patterns obtained on a diverse range of vector-borne diseases. These patterns confirm that several pathogens have evolved conditional behavioral manipulation strategies of their vector species. Other pathogens, however, seem unable to evolve such complex conditional strategies. Contrasting the behavior of infected and uninfected vectors may thus help reveal mechanistic constraints acting on the evolution of the manipulation of vector behavior.