Contact networks and transmission of an intestinal pathogen in bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) colonies
Contact networks and transmission of an intestinal pathogen in bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) colonies
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DOI：
10.1007/s00442-007-0834-8
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发表时间：
2007-11-01
期刊：
影响因子：
2.7
通讯作者：
Thomson, James D.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Otterstatter, Michael C.;Thomson, James D.
在社会生活的动物中，个体通过复杂的接触网络相互作用，这可能会影响疾病的传播。传统的流行病学模型通常假设没有社会结构，而网络理论表明，个人在网络中的位置决定了其感染风险。然而，缺乏对网络上疾病传播的实证研究，尤其是实验研究，这主要是由于缺乏可靠的研究系统。我们使用自动视频跟踪来量化社会熊蜂熊蜂凤仙花殖民地内的个人之间的身体接触网络。我们探讨了网络结构对自然和人工感染的蜂箱中病原体传播的影响。我们首次表明，接触网络结构决定了传播的传染性病原体（Crithidia bombi）在社会昆虫殖民地。蜂群之间感染率的差异主要是由于蜂巢之间网络密度的差异。在蜂群内，蜜蜂与受感染的巢友的接触率成为感染风险的唯一重要预测因素。蜜蜂的活动，就其移动速度和劳动分工而言（例如，育雏护理，巢护理，觅食），不影响感染的风险。我们的研究结果表明，接触网络可能对社会昆虫和其他社会动物中病原体的传播产生重要影响。
In socially living animals, individuals interact through complex networks of contact that may influence the spread of disease. Whereas traditional epidemiological models typically assume no social structure, network theory suggests that an individual's location in the network determines its risk of infection. Empirical, especially experimental, studies of disease spread on networks are lacking, however, largely due to a shortage of amenable study systems. We used automated video-tracking to quantify networks of physical contact among individuals within colonies of the social bumble bee Bombus impatiens. We explored the effects of network structure on pathogen transmission in naturally and artificially infected hives. We show for the first time that contact network structure determines the spread of a contagious pathogen (Crithidia bombi) in social insect colonies. Differences in rates of infection among colonies resulted largely from differences in network density among hives. Within colonies, a bee's rate of contact with infected nestmates emerged as the only significant predictor of infection risk. The activity of bees, in terms of their movement rates and division of labour (e.g., brood care, nest care, foraging), did not influence risk of infection. Our results suggest that contact networks may have an important influence on the transmission of pathogens in social insects and, possibly, other social animals.