Immunodynamics

Within-host interactions between hosts and disease agents affect disease spread and evolution at the population level, as well host epidemics and evolution. A key issue at the within-host level is how parasites and pathogens interact with the innate and (in vertebrates) adaptive immune systems.

CIDD researchers are using a combination of dynamic models and empirical data to unravel the complexities of interactions between disease agents and the host immune system. Information from this research feeds into CIDD studies of host-parasite co-evolution, interactions between parasites, and phylodynamics.

Study systems include

Influenza in horses and chickens (Grenfell)

Herpes simplex virus type I and cytokines in cell culture (Grenfell)

Bordetella in mice (Harvill)

Helminths in rabbits (Cattadori, Hudson)

Sample papers

Raffel TR, J. R. Rohr, J. M. Kiesecker & P. J. Hudson (2006). Negative effects of changing temperature on amphibian immunity under field conditions. Functional Ecology 20: 819-828.

Howat TJ, Barreca C, O'Hare P, Gog JR & Grenfell BT (2006). Modelling dynamics of the type I interferon response to in vitro viral infection. Interface.

Cattadori IM, Boag B, Bjørnstad ON, Cornell S & Hudson PJ (2005). Peak shift and epidemiology in a seasonal host-nematode system. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B. 272: 1163-1169

Mann PB, Elder KD, Kennett MJ & Harvill ET (2004). Toll-like receptor 4-dependent early elicited tumor necrosis factor alpha expression is critical for innate host defense against Bordetella bronchiseptica. Inf. Immun. 72: 6650-6658

Kirimanjeswara GS, Mann PB & Harvill ET (2003). The role of antibodies in immunity to Bordetella infections. Inf. & Immun. 71: 1719-1724.