THE EVOLUTION OF VIRULENCE AND EMERGING DISEASES

Insights into the evolution of virulence may aid efforts to control or even prevent emerging diseases. Specifically, dangerous pathogens can be distinguished from those that pose relatively little throat by ide ntifying characteristics that favor intense exploitation of hosts by p athogens, hence causing high virulence. Studies to date have implicate d several such characteristics, including transmission by vectors, att endants, water, and durable propagules. These insights may improve the return on investments in disease control by directing effort and reso urces to the most-dangerous emerging pathogens. The approach also shou ld help us to identify those control measures that will guard against the future emergence of dangerous pathogens, even those that have not yet been identified.