Primate reinfection with gastrointestinal parasites: behavioural and physiological predictors of parasite acquisition. (July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Friant, Sagan; Ziegler, Toni E.; Goldberg, Tony L.
• Is Part Of: Animal behaviour. Volume 117(2016)
• Page Start: 105
• Page End: 113
• Publication Date: 2016-07
• Subjects: antiparasite treatment -- gastrointestinal parasite -- host trait -- helminth -- infectious disease transmission -- physiological stress -- primate -- protozoa -- red-capped mangabey -- social network; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; 591.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.04.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-3472

Abstract

Abstract : Infectious disease transmission is a cost of sociality in humans and other animals. Nevertheless, the mechanisms linking social behaviour to infection risk are poorly known. We conducted a field experiment to examine how host intrinsic traits, behaviour and physiology affect infection of nonhuman primates with gastrointestinal parasites. We measured rate to reinfection in a social group of red-capped mangabeys, Cercocebus torquatus, following chemotherapeutic treatment for parasite infections. By measuring behaviour, infection and glucocorticoid levels, we compared the relative effects of space sharing, directional contact and physiological stress on risk of acquiring new infections. We found that, within proximity networks, individuals that were central, well connected and had a tendency to switch groups were at increased risk of infection with helminths. Protozoan infections, however, were acquired more uniformly across the population. In general, position in the social network and, in particular, space sharing appears to be more important than the immunosuppressive effects of physiological stress or host traits in determining risk of infection. Our results suggest that future studies of disease ecology within wildlife populations should focus on measures of network association in addition to individual host traits. Highlights: We conducted a field experiment to investigate acquisition of parasites following perturbation. Mechanistic explanations of parasite aggregation offered more insight than host traits. Position within proximity networks increased risk of infection with helminths. Individual glucocorticoid level had no effect on acquisition of parasites. Protozoan parasites were acquired uniformly across the population.