Toxoplasma gondii, sex and premature rejection

Stuart West; S E  Reece; A F  Read

doi:10.1016/S1471-4922(03)00033-3

Toxoplasma gondii, sex and premature rejection

Stuart West, S E Reece, A F Read

School of Biological Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Adaptive sex ratio theory explains why gametocyte sex ratios are female-biased in many populations of api-complexan parasites such as Plasmodium, and Toxoplasma. Recently, Ferguson has criticized this framework and proposed two alternative explanations - one for vector-borne parasites (e.g. Plasmodium) and one for Toxoplasma. Ferguson raises some interesting issues that certainly deserve more empirical attention. However, it should be pointed out that: (1) there are theoretical and empirical problems for his alternative hypotheses; and (2) existing empirical data support the application of sex ratio theory to these parasites, not its rejection.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	155-157
Number of pages	3
Journal	Trends in Parasitology
Volume	19
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S1471-4922(03)00033-3
Publication status	Published - Apr 2003

Keywords

PARASITES
MALARIA
RATIOS

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10.1016/S1471-4922(03)00033-3

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1471492203000333

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title = "Toxoplasma gondii, sex and premature rejection",

abstract = "Adaptive sex ratio theory explains why gametocyte sex ratios are female-biased in many populations of api-complexan parasites such as Plasmodium, and Toxoplasma. Recently, Ferguson has criticized this framework and proposed two alternative explanations - one for vector-borne parasites (e.g. Plasmodium) and one for Toxoplasma. Ferguson raises some interesting issues that certainly deserve more empirical attention. However, it should be pointed out that: (1) there are theoretical and empirical problems for his alternative hypotheses; and (2) existing empirical data support the application of sex ratio theory to these parasites, not its rejection.",

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KW - MALARIA

KW - RATIOS

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Toxoplasma gondii, sex and premature rejection

Abstract

Keywords

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