This is a major synthesis of the theory and empirical knowledge about the ecology and epidemiology of infectious diseases in natural, unmanaged, animal and plant populations. Throughout the book a dialogue is developed between the patterns observed in empirical studies of disease in natural populations and the mathematical models used to dissect and examine the observed epidemiological patterns. The book arose from a symposium at the Newton Institute at Cambridge University. It is divided into a number of reviews by experts in various fields and four group reports: two of these synthesize important issues relating to the dynamics of microparasites and macroparasites, while the others discuss spatial patterns in disease dynamics and the evolutionary biology of parasites, pathogens and their hosts.
List of participants; Introduction; Part I. Broad Patterns and Processes: 1. Impact of infectious diseases on wild animal populations: a review F. M. D. Gulland; 2. Microparasites: observed patterns A. P. Dobson and P. J. Hudson; 3. Mathematical models for microparasites of wildlife J. A. P. Heesterbeek and M. G. Roberts; 4. Microparasite group report C. Dye; 5. Macroparasites: observed patterns P. J. Hudson and A. P. Dobson; 6. Mathematical models for macroparasites of wildlife M. G. Roberts, G. Smith and B. T. Grenfell; 7. Macroparasite group report G. Smith; 8. Critical evaluation of wildlife disease models N. D. Barlow; Part II. Insects and Plants: 9. Nonlinearities in the dynamics of indirectly-transmitted infections (or, does having a vector make a difference?) C. Dye and B. G. Williams; 10. Model frameworks for plant-pathogen interactions J. Swinton and R. M. Anderson; 11. The dynamics of insect-pathogen interactions C. J. Briggs, R. S. Hails, N. D. Barlow and H. C. J. Godfray; Part III. Impact of Ecological and Genetic Heterogeneity: 12. Environmental influences on host immunity S. Lloyd; 13. Modelling the immuno-epidemiology of macroparasites in wildlife host populations B. T. Grenfell, K. Dietz and M. G. Roberts; 14. Spatial dynamics of parasitism D. Mollinson and S. A. Levin; 15. Spatial dynamics group report B. M. Bolker; 16. Genetic diversity in host-parasite interactions C. M. Lively and V. Apanius; 17. Genetics and evolution of infectious diseases in natural populations group report A. P. Read; 18. Beyond host-pathogen dynamics M. Begon and R. G. Bowers; 19. Glossary C. Watt, A. P. Dobson and B. T. Grenfell.
Reviews for Ecology of Infectious Diseases in Natural Populations
'Overall this book presents a valuable summary of current knowledge of quantitative ecology and epidemiology and is valuable to professionals interested in epidemiology and infection in various populations. The editors are to be congratulated on fulfilling this gap of knowledge.' International Journal of Epidemiology '... an up-to-date source of both data and ideas.' Sarah E. Randolph, Parasitology Today
