Title |
Information use and plasticity in the reproductive decisions of malaria parasites
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Published in |
Malaria Journal, March 2014
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DOI | 10.1186/1475-2875-13-115 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Lucy M Carter, Petra Schneider, Sarah E Reece |
Abstract |
Investment in the production of transmissible stages (gametocytes) and their sex ratio are malaria parasite traits that underpin mosquito infectivity and are therefore central to epidemiology. Malaria parasites adjust their levels of investment into gametocytes and sex ratio in response to changes in the in-host environment (including red blood cell resource availability, host immune responses, competition from con-specific genotypes in mixed infections, and drug treatment). This plasticity appears to be adaptive (strategic) because parasites prioritize investment (in sexual versus asexual stages and male versus female stages) in manners predicted to maximize fitness. However, the information, or 'cues' that parasites use to detect environmental changes and make appropriate decisions about investment into gametocytes and their sex ratio are unknown. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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Unknown | 1 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
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Members of the public | 1 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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United Kingdom | 1 | 3% |
Unknown | 37 | 97% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
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Student > Master | 9 | 24% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 8 | 21% |
Researcher | 6 | 16% |
Student > Bachelor | 5 | 13% |
Professor | 2 | 5% |
Other | 3 | 8% |
Unknown | 5 | 13% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
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Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 15 | 39% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 5 | 13% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 4 | 11% |
Immunology and Microbiology | 2 | 5% |
Environmental Science | 1 | 3% |
Other | 4 | 11% |
Unknown | 7 | 18% |