Coevolutionary mechanisms within vector/pathogen complexes

在加拿大，几种野生动物疾病的分布范围显著向北扩展，对人类、家畜和本地物种的健康构成越来越大的威胁。管理越来越多的野生动物疾病的货币成本是许多自然资源机构无法承受的;因此，非常需要了解疾病维持和传播的机制，以最大限度地利用现有资源。具体来说，我将调查共同进化机制内的载体/病原体复合物使用浣熊狂犬病病毒，其主要载体，浣熊，作为一个模型系统。传统观点认为狂犬病是一种致命的疾病，在宿主体内没有进化的潜力。然而，疾病挑战和疫苗接种实验表明，浣熊对这种病毒的免疫反应存在变异性。我将探讨浣熊和浣熊种群的能力，以适应浣熊狂犬病的主要组织相容性复合体（MHC）基因，是密切相关的免疫反应的启动。我的研究将有助于我们对疾病抵抗力和易感性的空间组织的理解，增强我们对与疾病传播和维持相关的共同进化机制的认识，并帮助完善当前的疾病控制策略。

In Canada, significant northward range expansions of several wildlife diseases increasingly threaten the health of humans, domestic animals, and native species. The monetary costs of managing an increasing array of wildlife disease is untenable for many natural resource agencies; as such, there is a significant need to understand the mechanisms of disease maintenance and spread to maximize available resources. Specifically, I will investigate coevolutionary mechanisms within vector/pathogen complexes using the raccoon rabies virus, and its primary vector, raccoons, as a model system. Conventional belief suggests that rabies is a lethal disease with no potential for evolution within its hosts. Disease challenge and vaccination experiments, however, indicate that variability exists in the immune response of raccoons to this virus. I will explore the ability of raccoons and raccoon populations to adapt to raccoon rabies by profiling major histocompatiblity complex (Mhc) genes that are intimately associated with the initiation of an immune response. My research will contribute to our understanding of the spatial organization of disease resistance and susceptibility, enhance our knowledge of coevolutionary mechanisms associated with disease spread and maintenance, and help refine current disease control strategies.