![]() Secondly, parasites may often employ multiple pathways in unison to achieve control over their hosts. Indeed, very rarely a study demonstrates that molecular changes observed in a host are the result of active manipulation by the resident parasite, or that these molecular changes directly result in behavioral manipulation that increases the parasite's fitness. First and foremost, there is a severe disconnect between the observed molecular and behavioral shifts in a parasitized host. After exploration of the literature pertaining to these four pathways, four major trends become evident. As it stands, research suggests that the mechanisms of host manipulation fall into three categories: immunological, genomic/proteomic and neuropharmacological, and forth potential category: symbioant-mediated manipulation. Ultimately, this imbalance has slowed progress in the study of the mechanisms underlying host manipulation. However, these studies dwarf the number of genuine attempts to elucidate the mechanistic processes behind this behavioral manipulation. Scientific and public interest in host manipulation by parasites has surged over the past few decades, resulting in an exponential growth of cases where potential behavioral manipulation has been identified. Parasitology, Zoology, University of Otago, Otago, New Zealand.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |