1. Heterogeneity in the ability of hosts to transmit pathogens is among the most fundamental
concepts in disease dynamics and has major implications for disease control strategies. 2 …

Predators often cause prey to adopt defensive strategies that reduce predation risk. The
'ecology of fear'examines these trait changes and their consequences. Similarly, parasites …

This paper introduces a theme issue presenting the latest developments in research on the
impacts of sociality on health and fitness. The articles that follow cover research on societies …

The 'social distancing'that occurred in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in humans
provides a powerful illustration of the intimate relationship between infectious disease and …

Animal behaviour and the ecology and evolution of parasites are inextricably linked. For this
reason, animal behaviourists and disease ecologists have been interested in the …

ABSTRACT A hallmark assumption of traditional approaches to disease modelling is that
individuals within a given population mix uniformly and at random. However, this …

Increased risk of infectious disease is assumed to be a major cost of group living, yet
empirical evidence for this effect is mixed. We studied whether larger social groups are more …

Infectious disease burdens vary from country to country and year to year due to ecological
and economic drivers. Recently, Murray et al.(Murray CJ et al. 2012 Lancet 380, 2197 …

The disease costs of sociality have largely been understood through the link between group
size and transmission. However, infectious disease spread is driven primarily by the social …

The evolution of group living requires that individuals limit the inherent risks of parasite
infection. To this end, group living insects have developed a unique capability of mounting …