Harnessing evolutionary biology to combat infectious disease

Pathogens have remarkable abilities to flout therapeutic intervention. This characteristic is driven by evolution, either as a direct response to intervention (for example, the evolution of antibiotic resistance) or through long-term co-evolution that generates host or parasite traits that interact with therapy in undesirable or unpredicted ways. To make progress towards successful control of infectious diseases, the concepts and techniques of evolutionary biology must be deeply integrated with traditional approaches to immunology and pathogen biology. An interdisciplinary approach can inform our strategies to control pathogens or even the treatment of infected patients, positioning us to meet the current and future challenges of controlling infectious diseases.