Tag: Infectious disease

Guest post

Disentangling disease transmission in Madagascar fruit bats

Bats can carry various diseases, including many which are transferable to humans. A recent study published in the Journal of Animal Ecology investigated disease extent, seasonality, and mechanisms of transmission among Malagasy fruit bats. Lead author Dr Cara Brook (Princeton University and UC Berkeley) explains more about the paper. Bats (order Chiroptera) have received much attention in recent years for their roles as reservoirs for … Continue reading Disentangling disease transmission in Madagascar fruit bats

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Conference Report

Ecology & Evolution of Infectious Diseases Conference

A few weeks ago, Dr Lauren White from the University of Minnesota told us about the intersection of wildlife conservation, disease and human health for Endangered Species Day. Now she is back to give us a recap of the Ecology & Evolution of Infectious Disease Conference recently held in Glasgow – including some pretty nifty conference events complete with a Scottish flair! This year, the … Continue reading Ecology & Evolution of Infectious Diseases Conference

Sarah Marley1 Comment
Guest post

Social or solitary: Does social network protect from disease?

The spread of infectious diseases is heavily influenced by the structure of animal social networks. So how do disease risks vary by different social systems? Dr Pratha Sah addresses this in a recent publication with the Journal of Animal Ecology. Animal species ranging from mammals, birds, reptiles and fish to insects exhibit an impressive diversity in sociality. Sociality describes the tendency of animals to associate with … Continue reading Social or solitary: Does social network protect from disease?

Sarah Marley1 Comment