title: Host immunity shapes the impact of climate changes on the dynamics of parasite infections.
abstract: Global climate change is predicted to alter the distribution and dynamics of soil-transmitted helminth infections, and yet host immunity can also influence the impact of warming on host-parasite interactions and mitigate the long-term effects. We used time-series data from two helminth species of a natural herbivore and investigated the contribution of climate change and immunity on the long-term and seasonal dynamics of infection. We provide evidence that climate warming increases the availability of infective stages of both helminth species and the proportional increase in the intensity of infection for the helminth not regulated by immunity. In contrast, there is no significant long-term positive trend in the intensity for the immune-controlled helminth, as immunity reduces the net outcome of climate on parasite dynamics. Even so, hosts experienced higher infections of this helminth at an earlier age during critical months in the warmer years. Immunity can alleviate the expected long-term effect of climate on parasite infections but can also shift the seasonal peak of infection toward the younger individuals.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy; Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16082;
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mignatti
authors.affiliation: The James Hutton Institute, DD2 5DA Invergowrie, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boag
authors.affiliation: Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16082; imc3@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Isabella M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Cattadori
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D057232:Global Warming; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000276:immunology*; D006813:Humidity; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D010063:Ovum / Q000502:physiology; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011817:Rabbits / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons; D012987:Soil / Q000469:parasitology; D013270:Stomach / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D013696:Temperature; D014251:Trichostrongyloidea / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D014252:Trichostrongyloidiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D014253:Trichostrongylosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D014254:Trichostrongylus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D012987:Soil
keywords: European rabbit; gastrointestinal helminths; host–parasite interaction; long-term climate warming; seasonality