A comparative study of leukocyte counts and disease risk in primates

Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution
Charles L Nunn

Abstract

Little is known about how the risk of disease varies across species and its consequences for host defenses, including the immune system. I obtained mean values of basal white blood cells (WBC) from 100 species of primates to quantify disease risk, based on the assumption that higher baseline WBC counts will be found in species that experience greater risk of acquiring infectious disease. These data were used to investigate four hypotheses: disease risk is expected to increase with (1) group size and population density; (2) greater contact with soil-borne pathogens during terrestrial locomotion; (3) a slow life history; and (4) increased mating promiscuity. After controlling for phylogeny, WBC counts increased with female mating promiscuity, as reflected in discrete categories of partner number, relative testes mass, and estrous duration. By comparison, the social, ecological, and life-history hypotheses were unsupported in comparative tests. In terms of confounding variables, some WBC types were associated with body mass or activity period, but these variables could not account for the association with mating promiscuity. Several factors may explain why hypotheses involving social, ecological, and life-history factors went unsu...Continue Reading

References

Sep 1, 1977·The Anatomical Record·D M Phillips, S Mahler
Oct 1, 1977·Nature·T H Clutton-BrockB Rudder
Feb 12, 1976·Nature·K Milton, M L May
Jan 1, 1992·Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases·N L CoxP J Maddison
Mar 1, 1991·British Journal of Haematology·C M HawkeyJ K Kirkwood
Jan 1, 1990·Epidemiology·K J Rothman
Jan 1, 1990·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·B L Hart
Oct 1, 1990·Journal of Wildlife Diseases·M D StuartM R Clarke
Jan 1, 1988·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. B, Comparative Biochemistry·J M Rosenberg, P H Sato
Mar 1, 1985·Fertility and Sterility·I J Pandya, J Cohen
Mar 1, 1967·Fertility and Sterility·W B SchwimmerS J Behrman
Sep 3, 1981·Nature·A H HarcourtR V Short
Jun 29, 1995·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·A Purvis
Jun 1, 1995·Computer Applications in the Biosciences : CABIOS·A Purvis, A Rambaut
Mar 29, 1994·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·K K Holmes
Jan 1, 1994·Clinical Pediatrics·P K Braverman, V C Strasburger
May 1, 1994·Fertility and Sterility·P B Marshburn, W H Kutteh
Feb 1, 1994·American Journal of Public Health·L S CookK K Holmes
Apr 29, 1997·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·T Price
Jun 1, 1997·Journal of Human Evolution·R J Smith, W L Jungers
Sep 30, 1998·Folia primatologica; international journal of primatology·A F Dixson
Oct 9, 1998·American Journal of Reproductive Immunology : AJRI·N PorakishviliT Lund
Jul 13, 2000·Nature·R A Barton, P H Harvey
Nov 10, 2000·Science·C L NunnJ Antonovics
Dec 29, 2000·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·P H Harvey, A Rambaut
May 1, 1992·Parasitology Today·G Smith, A P Dobson
Jan 1, 1992·Drug and Alcohol Review·J E Maddison
Sep 25, 2008·The American Naturalist·P ArnebergA F Read
Feb 1, 1988·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·A W Goldizen
Aug 1, 1996·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·B C Sheldon, S Verhulst
Mar 1, 1993·Human Nature : an Interdisciplinary Biosocial Perspective·R W Wrangham
Dec 1, 1985·Oecologia·John L Gittleman

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Feb 2, 2006·Oecologia·Lynn B MartinMartin Wikelski
May 25, 2011·Primates; Journal of Primatology·Milagros González-HernándezDomingo Canales-Espinosa
May 23, 2013·Behavioural Processes·Ori PomerantzJoseph Terkel
Jan 31, 2009·Molecular Biology and Evolution·Gabriela WlasiukMichael W Nachman
Mar 18, 2003·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Charles L NunnJanis Antonovics
Dec 12, 2003·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Gabriele SorciJean-Pierre Hugot
Feb 22, 2007·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Kenneth M FedorkaDaniel Promislow
Jan 9, 2009·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Wade E Winterhalter, Kenneth M Fedorka
Sep 27, 2013·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Cedric K W TanStuart Wigby
Oct 18, 2008·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Charles L NunnJens Rolff
Jan 13, 2009·BMC Evolutionary Biology·Brian T PrestonCharles L Nunn
Jun 9, 2007·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·Paul C CrossJared D Rogerson
Jun 18, 2014·Ecology·Chelsea L WoodArmand M Kuris
Jan 15, 2008·Journal of Human Evolution·Andrea Cardini, Sarah Elton
Nov 30, 2005·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·Kenneth M Fedorka, Marlene Zuk
Nov 13, 2008·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Thomas R GillespieFabian H Leendertz
Jun 21, 2008·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·Mary Margaret ConnerPaul Chafee Cross
Mar 16, 2011·The Journal of Animal Ecology·Gregory E DemasSusannah S French
Apr 28, 2012·American Journal of Primatology·Charles L Nunn
Mar 2, 2013·Ecology Letters·Hillary YoungCharles L Nunn
Mar 20, 2010·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Gabriela Wlasiuk, Michael W Nachman
Apr 22, 2010·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·Patrik LindenforsC L Nunn
Apr 2, 2015·International Journal for Parasitology. Parasites and Wildlife·Serge Morand
Aug 27, 2010·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Jason M Kamilar, Justin A Ledogar
Apr 15, 2015·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Charles L NunnJennifer H Fewell
Dec 5, 2014·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Collin M McCabeCharles L Nunn
Sep 10, 2020·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Emily Cornelius RuhsCynthia J Downs
Dec 23, 2016·Frontiers in Microbiology·Elizabeth A MillerElizabeth A Archie
Dec 22, 2021·PLoS Computational Biology·Alexander E DownieAndrea L Graham

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved