The evolution of virulence - PubMed

Review

The evolution of virulence

A F Read. Trends Microbiol. 1994 Mar.

Abstract

Why is there variation in the virulence of infectious diseases? Virulence can have substantial effects on the genetic contribution of both host and pathogen to future generations. Understanding it therefore requires explanation not only in terms of cellular and molecular mechanisms, but also in evolutionary terms: what is the nature of the selection acting on genes responsible for virulence?

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