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Trophically Transmitted Parasites and Their Responses to Microbial Pathogens and Consumed Plastic Contaminants
Summary
Researchers reviewed how trophically transmitted parasites respond to stressors including microplastic contaminants and microbial pathogens, finding that plastic exposure can disrupt host-parasite dynamics by altering host microbiomes and immune responses. The interactions add complexity to understanding parasite infection success in polluted environments.
Trophically transmitted parasites, which move from one host to the next through host feeding activities, are subject to direct and indirect stressors within their hosts and the surrounding ecosystem. Infection success can be disrupted by host defenses and environmental conditions that exceed the tolerances of the parasites or their hosts. These interruptions can be caused by various factors, including host-derived antagonists, alterations in the host’s environment, exposure to toxic molecules, and disruption to the host’s microbial communities. Here, we present novel findings on the responses of intestinal helminth infracommunities to stressors associated with shifts in the microbiome due to bacterial infection and under a range of conditions where microplastics were consumed.