Why apply ecological laws to epidemiology?
Using ecological laws, or rules, is a useful strategy for epidemiological observations. The application of Taylor's power law to epidemiology and evolutionary ecology of parasites is exemplified here. Taylor's power law takes the form of s2=amb, where s2 is the variance in population abundance, m is the mean abundance of the population, a represents a constant parameter and b represents an index of spatial heterogeneity. Although Taylor's power law reflects the aggregation of parasite (or pathogen) individuals among host population, the values of b could reflect regulation processes in host-parasite systems. Illustrations are given showing how b value is linked to various epidemiological situations: pathogen emergence, the impact of vaccination or the level of host immune defence.
Morand
Serge
S
Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, CNRS, Département Génétique Environnement, CC065, Université Montpellier 2, 34095, Montpellier cedex 05, France. serge.morand@univ-montp2.fr
Krasnov
Boris
B
D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D017753:Ecosystem; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011156:Population Density; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D012377:Rodentia