EMERGING INFECTIOUS-DISEASE - WHAT ARE THE RELATIVE ROLES OF ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION

The increasing threat of infectious diseases in humans has renewed int erest in factors leading to the emergence of new diseases and the re-e mergence of familiar diseases. Examples of seemingly novel diseases cu rrently spreading in human populations include HIV, dengue hemorrhagic fever and Lyme disease; drug-resistant forms of well-known diseases s uch as tuberculosis are also increasing. The problem of disease emerge nce also extends to other animal and plant populations. In most curren t epidemics, ecological factors (e.g. migration, climate, agricultural practices) play a more significant role in disease emergence than evo lutionary changes in pathogens or hosts. Evolutionary biologists and e cologists have much to offer to the development of strategies for the control of emerging diseases.