Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: Michael on 22/02/2010 11:30:02

Title: Why do diseases kill their hosts?
Post by: Michael on 22/02/2010 11:30:02
Michael  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
How does the gene-centred view of evolutionary biology explain diseases that kill their hosts, thus preventing further propagation of the diseases' genes?

Cordially,

Michael Burke  

San Diego, CA US

What do you think?
Title: Why do diseases kill their hosts?
Post by: Jessica H on 22/02/2010 15:45:31
I think you're right in that train of thinking; the common cold has evolved to be a very successful virus as it doesn't kill us therefore we live to infect, and be infected, again.  I guess if the disease is very deadly, it can only survive if it's highly infectious, has a long incubation period in the host, and/or has a secondary host where it's not so lethal.  This was the big mystery with Ebola, which is very deadly very quickly in humans.  They are thinking it survives in a secondary host- bats- between epidemics in humans.

I guess if I virus was REALLY deadly, it would die out with the host and go extinct.  I wonder if this has been documented? 
Title: Why do diseases kill their hosts?
Post by: RD on 22/02/2010 16:35:07
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=21532.msg240697#msg240697