Host nutrition and infectious disease: an ecological view. Issue 5 (1st June 2005)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith, Val H.; Jones, Tyrees P.; Smith, Marilyn S.
• Is Part Of: Frontiers in ecology and the environment. Volume 3:Issue 5(2005)
• Page Start: 268
• Page End: 274
• Publication Date: 2005-06-01
• Subjects: Ecology -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Ecology; Environmental sciences; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 577.05
• DOI: 10.1890/1540-9295(2005)003[0268:HNAIDA]2.0.CO;2
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1540-9295

Abstract

Abstract : Nutrition is typically discussed in terms of maintaining a proper diet and avoiding nutrient deficiency diseases. However, nutrition can also be viewed from an ecological standpoint: mammalian hosts and their pathogens share a wide range of resource needs that are required to support normal metabolism and growth. The development of an infectious disease within a host involves the processes of invasion and resource consumption. Competition for growth‐limiting resources can potentially occur between the invading pathogen and the cellular components of the host. Experimental studies confirm that nutrients can have profound effects on a host's response to an infection, and taking an ecological view of host nutrition may help to further inform biomedical practice.