Microbial transmission in the social microbiome and host health and disease

Sarkar A, McInroy CJA, Harty S, Raulo A, Ibata NGO, Valles-Colomer M, Johnson K, Brito IL, Henrich J, Archie EA, Barreiro LB, Gazzaniga FS
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et al

Although social interactions are known to drive pathogen transmission, the contributions of socially transmissible host-associated mutualists and commensals to host health and disease remain poorly explored. We use the concept of the social microbiome-the microbial metacommunity of a social network of hosts-to analyze the implications of social microbial transmission for host health and disease. We investigate the contributions of socially transmissible microbes to both eco-evolutionary microbiome community processes (colonization resistance, the evolution of virulence, and reactions to ecological disturbance) and microbial transmission-based processes (transmission of microbes with metabolic and immune effects, inter-specific transmission, transmission of antibiotic-resistant microbes, and transmission of viruses). We consider the implications of social microbial transmission for communicable and non-communicable diseases and evaluate the importance of a socially transmissible component underlying canonically non-communicable diseases. The social transmission of mutualists and commensals may play a significant, under-appreciated role in the social determinants of health and may act as a hidden force in social evolution.

Keywords:

microbiota

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communicable diseases

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social networks

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non-communicable diseases

,

microbial transmission

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social virome

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antibiotics

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immunity

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social determinants of health

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antibiotic resistance

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social transmission

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social evolution