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Philosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society Of London. Series B, Biological Sciences[JOURNAL]
Philosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society Of London. Series B, Biological Sciences[JOURNAL]
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200 papers
How should we address non-reproducibility?
Göpel T
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41852209 · Publisher ↗
Inter-experimental variability poses a significant challenge to reproducibility in experimental biology, hindering scientific progress and the translation of research findings. This variability arises from numerous facto...
Inter-experimental variability poses a significant challenge to reproducibility in experimental biology, hindering scientific progress and the translation of research findings. This variability arises from numerous factors, including subtle differences in reagents, equipment calibration, environmental conditions and unaccounted biological variation. Despite the existence of guidelines such as ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) and MDAR (Materials Design Analysis Reporting), the reporting of crucial experimental details often remains incomplete or inconsistent across studies. Recent analyses have suggested that the insufficient reporting of materials and methods may substantially contribute to non-reproducibility in biological research. This underscores the need for more comprehensive and standardized reporting practices as the best approach to ensure good science. To address this issue, publishers, editors and reviewers must enforce existing standards more rigourously, while authors and researchers should prioritize the comprehensive reporting of experimental details. Innovative approaches such as experimental heterogenization and open science initiatives are emerging to enhance reproducibility. A multifaceted approach involving stricter guideline enforcement, recognition of replication studies and fostering a culture that values reproducibility over publication speed and sensationalization is essential for improving the reliability and credibility of experimental biology research. This article is part of the theme issue 'Embracing variability in comparative physiology: why it matters and what to do with it'.
Unresponsive to change: Ectotherms fail to adjust physiology to daily temperature variation.
Gomez Isaza D, Rodgers E
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41852208 · Publisher ↗
Daily temperature fluctuations are a ubiquitous feature of natural environments, yet our understanding of how ectotherms respond to thermal variability remains incomplete. Previous frameworks have predicted that exposure...
Daily temperature fluctuations are a ubiquitous feature of natural environments, yet our understanding of how ectotherms respond to thermal variability remains incomplete. Previous frameworks have predicted that exposure to variable thermal conditions should reduce the temperature sensitivity of physiological rates, thereby enabling ectotherms to maintain stable functions in fluctuating environments. We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis to test this hypothesis by synthesizing evidence from 26 studies examining the effects of daily temperature variation on ectotherm physiological rates. Our analysis included data on key physiological rates for broad groups of ectotherms. Contrary to expectations, our analysis reveals that daily temperature variability does not systematically reduce the thermal sensitivity of physiological rates in ectotherms. We found some taxonomic differences in thermal sensitivity, with reptiles and fish showing greater sensitivity to temperature variation, potentially exposing these groups to higher vulnerability under fluctuating temperatures. A lack of plasticity in thermal sensitivity suggests either limited capacity or limited need for plastic responses to predictable daily temperature variations. Ectotherms may rely on alternative mechanisms to cope with variable temperatures, including behavioural thermoregulation and acute physiological responses. Our findings challenge current paradigms in thermal biology and highlight potential vulnerabilities of ectotherms to increasing temperature fluctuations under climate change. This article is part of the theme issue 'Embracing variability in comparative physiology: why it matters and what to do with it'.
Incorporating environmental variability into physiological experiments: rationale and resources.
Hardison EA, Donham E, Massey M … +2 more , Morash AJ, Schwieterman GD
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41852207 · Publisher ↗
Our understanding of how environmental variability shapes animal physiology and behaviour is rapidly evolving. This is largely facilitated by a new wave of physiology research that has embraced environmental variability...
Our understanding of how environmental variability shapes animal physiology and behaviour is rapidly evolving. This is largely facilitated by a new wave of physiology research that has embraced environmental variability by simulating real-world conditions in experimental designs. While the move away from classical static holding conditions offers promising insights into environmental physiology, it can also be logistically challenging, time-intensive and expensive. Here, we review when and where variability arises in aquatic environments and highlight exemplary studies that demonstrate how embracing variability can help us better understand organismal performance. We also discuss challenges associated with various types of manipulations and summarize technological advances, considerations and tips that we hope will make it less daunting for researchers to investigate the effects of environmental variability. This article is part of the theme issue 'Embracing variability in comparative physiology: why it matters and what to do with it'.
The impacts of co-circulating pathogens in Pacific herring depend on interactions between viral life-cycle traits and transmission parameters, highlighting interdependencies between pathogen epizootics.
Páez DJ, Grady C, Gregg J … +6 more , Batts B, Ferreiro-Luce S, Herron VL, Loeher M, Williamson S, Hershberger P
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791755 · Publisher ↗
The average host susceptibility decreases as the epizootic progresses because easily infected hosts are first removed from the population. While host susceptibility is pathogen-specific, it is likely that host susceptibi...
The average host susceptibility decreases as the epizootic progresses because easily infected hosts are first removed from the population. While host susceptibility is pathogen-specific, it is likely that host susceptibility is correlated between different pathogens, so that co-circulating pathogens may have reciprocal impacts on their epidemics. However, despite well-documented examples of concomitant infections in marine hosts, reciprocal epizootic effects have not been documented in wild marine organisms. We quantify reciprocal impacts between viral haemorrhagic septicaemia and viral erythrocytic necrosis in Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) using field and laboratory work. We show that the causative viruses for both diseases circulate through herring populations and that infection with one pathogen has negative impacts on the epizootic and infection characteristics of the other pathogen, suggesting positive correlations in the susceptibility to infection between pathogens. We then use simulations of a two-strain pathogen model to show that the impact of the correlation is modulated by transmission parameters, such as the incubation period and the initial transmission rate. Our work shows that co-occurring epizootics pose a management challenge because single-pathogen management actions may amplify the epizootics of the non-targeted pathogen. This study provides a framework to evaluate the consequences of reciprocal epizootic impacts through field, experimental and modelling work. This article is part of the theme issue 'Managing infectious marine diseases in wild populations'.
The long-term effects of the tsunamis caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake on an intertidal host-parasite system.
Miura O, Nakai S, Itoh H … +1 more , Kanaya G
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791754 · Publisher ↗
Due to the intimate relationship between hosts and parasites, parasites can be used as an indicator of host demography and provide a useful monitoring tool for conservation management. The tsunamis caused by the Great Ea...
Due to the intimate relationship between hosts and parasites, parasites can be used as an indicator of host demography and provide a useful monitoring tool for conservation management. The tsunamis caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake damaged a large number of coastal organisms that host various parasite species. We monitored the demography of trematode parasites and their first intermediate host, the intertidal mud snail Batillaria attramentaria, between 2005 and 2024 to evaluate the impact of the tsunami on this snail-trematode system. We further investigated the changes in the community structure of potential second intermediate hosts (macrobenthic organisms) and definitive hosts (shorebirds) using the public database to evaluate their associations with trematode communities. Our long-term monitoring demonstrated that the trematode prevalence and diversity have fluctuated for more than 10 years after the tsunami event. The observed instability of parasite communities can be partially explained by the demographic imbalance of host populations and perhaps by other factors, including human activity, gradual land elevation and global climate change. Our study highlights the recovery process of coastal organisms from the tsunami disturbance and the potential usefulness of trematode parasites in monitoring their associated host communities. This article is part of the theme issue 'Managing infectious marine diseases in wild populations'.
Prevalence of haemic neoplasia in cockles and cohabiting bivalve species on the western coast of France and the southern coast of Portugal.
Bruzos AL, Moulin A, Bujard G … +4 more , Sturbois A, Viña-Feás A, Amaral AM, Détrée C
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791753 · Publisher ↗
Haemic neoplasia is a cancer affecting several bivalve species and has become transmissible in some lineages. This study assesses its prevalence in common cockles (Cerastoderma edule) along the western coast of France an...
Haemic neoplasia is a cancer affecting several bivalve species and has become transmissible in some lineages. This study assesses its prevalence in common cockles (Cerastoderma edule) along the western coast of France and the southern coast of Portugal, regions with important bivalve fisheries. Cockles and cohabiting bivalve species (Ruditapes spp. and Scrobicularia plana) were sampled across multiple locations, and haemic neoplasia was diagnosed through cytological analysis. In the Algarve, a decline in prevalence was observed between 2017 and 2024, while in Normandy, the disease was detected for the first time. No cases of haemic neoplasia were found in the cohabiting clam species, suggesting that cockle cancer transmission may be species-restricted. Morphometric analyses revealed no significant differences in size or mass between affected and non-affected cockles, indicating that external traits are not reliable indicators of infection. These findings expand knowledge on the geographical distribution of haemic neoplasia and highlight the need for continued monitoring to assess potential changes in its prevalence and impact on bivalve populations. This article is part of the theme issue 'Managing infectious marine diseases in wild populations'.
Region-specific understanding of virus transmission to support salmonid health at hatcheries in three regions of the Pacific Northwest, North America.
Mattheiss J, Breyta R, Kurath G … +3 more , LaDeau SL, Paez DJ, Ferguson P
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791752 · Publisher ↗
Juvenile salmonid mortality due to infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) can be a major burden on fish hatcheries. We consider possible IHNV transmission routes and specialist-generalist patterns across three r...
Juvenile salmonid mortality due to infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) can be a major burden on fish hatcheries. We consider possible IHNV transmission routes and specialist-generalist patterns across three regions in the Pacific Northwest of North America: Coastal Washington and Oregon (CWO), Lower Columbia River Basin (LCRB) and Snake River Basin (SRB) to obtain multi-region inference about IHNV transmission and specialization. While individual regions have been studied previously, our consideration of three regions to identify consistent trends or localized patterns is novel. The most consistent patterns we found were that most exposure to IHNV was from migrating adult salmonids and that the IHNV lineage MD specialized in steelhead and rainbow trout. Our results were consistent with LCRB being a source of IHNV and the SRB and CWO being sinks. Results specific to particular regions include the role of local geography on exposure and influence of hatchery complexes on transmission, which highlights the need to understand local hatchery operations before disease ecology can be understood and suitable hatchery management can be planned. Results demonstrate the need for spatially and temporally explicit quantitative approaches to understand disease dynamics and inform management. This article is part of the theme issue 'Managing infectious marine diseases in wild populations'.
Stochastic within-host dynamics and climate-sensitive traits generate predictable patterns of variation in disease outcomes.
Carlino A, Loeher M, Páez DJ … +3 more , Hershberger P, Wolf N, Mihaljevic J
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791751 · Publisher ↗
Understanding how climatic variables impact host-pathogen relationships in temperature-sensitive ectothermic host organisms is crucial under global change. Few studies have explored how temperature gradients generate int...
Understanding how climatic variables impact host-pathogen relationships in temperature-sensitive ectothermic host organisms is crucial under global change. Few studies have explored how temperature gradients generate inter-individual variation in epidemiological traits like host susceptibility or pathogen replication. Here, we develop a mathematical model to explore a novel hypothesis: stochastic within-host dynamics and simulated thermal mismatches between host and pathogen traits generate predictable variation in infection outcomes among hosts and across thermal gradients. Our model demonstrates that varying trait thermal optima in host immunity and pathogen replication, and stochastic within-host processes produced variation in infection outcomes. Variability was low when temperatures strongly favored host or pathogen traits, but high and diverse when their performance was similar across a broad thermal range. In contrast, when trait performance was equal across all temperatures (no mismatch) variability remained low at all temperatures. Further, the magnitude of variation, quantified by entropy, exhibited predictable patterns depending on host-pathogen thermal mismatches. We conclude that interactions between trait thermal mismatches and within-host stochasticity provide a theoretical framework to improve ectotherm disease models under climate change, providing a valuable tool for exploring the impacts of environmental change on epizootic or epidemic dynamics, particularly in vulnerable marine ecosystems.
Shedding of OsHV-1 from infected Pacific oysters depends on viral variant.
Agnew-Camiener MV, Burge CA, Schreier HJ … +1 more , Parikh MP
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791750 · Publisher ↗
Ostreid herpesvirus-1 (OsHV-1) can cause massive economic losses of Pacific oysters, Magallana gigas. Breeding resistant oysters in the USA is difficult owing to lack of oyster hatcheries within disease-endemic locations...
Ostreid herpesvirus-1 (OsHV-1) can cause massive economic losses of Pacific oysters, Magallana gigas. Breeding resistant oysters in the USA is difficult owing to lack of oyster hatcheries within disease-endemic locations. Without resistant oysters, understanding transmission dynamics is useful to assess the risk of disease spread to aquaculture farms. This research aimed to quantify OsHV-1 shedding from M. gigas of varying OsHV-1 susceptibility. Oyster spat were challenged with OsHV-1 to determine high and low surviving lines. Siblings were exposed as juveniles to either an OsHV-1 variant from France or San Diego, CA, USA . Oysters were injected with a known concentration of OsHV-1 and placed in individual containers. Water was sampled periodically for 6 days to monitor the amount of virus shed over time. Both family lines maintained high survival (53.3%-66.7% survival) when exposed to either variant as juveniles, indicating differences in susceptibility between ages of the same genetic line. OsHV-1 in water containing oysters exposed to the French variant was detected earlier and in significantly higher amounts overall (approx. 2.7×) than for those exposed to the San Diego variant. Peak shedding of OsHV-1 was confirmed at 24-120 h post-injection from oysters exposed to either microvariant, which improves our understanding of OsHV-1 transmission dynamics. This article is part of the theme issue 'Managing infectious marine diseases in wild populations'.
Exploring the transformative potential of multi-trophic strategies to enhance coral restoration and mitigate disease.
Ribeiro B, Duarte G, Thomas T … +3 more , Reeves S, Suggett DJ, Peixoto RS
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791749 · Publisher ↗
Unprecedented coral reef degradation from climate change, local impacts and disease requires time-critical development of innovative, cost-effective and ecologically grounded restoration strategies. Conventional restorat...
Unprecedented coral reef degradation from climate change, local impacts and disease requires time-critical development of innovative, cost-effective and ecologically grounded restoration strategies. Conventional restoration strategies to recover coral reef ecosystems largely focus on coral propagation, often de-prioritizing the broader ecological interactions that underpin reef resilience. However, coral reefs are complex ecosystems where other reef-associated organisms have fundamental and connected roles in nutrient cycling, biofiltration, pathogen control and microbiome stewardship. Integrating these key functional groups into restoration efforts in both the production phase (co-cultivation) and ecological recovery phase (ecological reconstruction) is required to advance coral restoration efforts toward more holistic coral reef ecological restoration frameworks. Integrating multi-trophic strategies provides a multifunctional, nature-based solution to enhance coral survival, mitigate disease outbreaks and promote overall ecosystem health. Here, we discuss the benefits of such a multi-trophic approach, where filter feeders, suspension feeders, detritivores and grazers are incorporated into the processes of reef restoration efforts. By leveraging positive species interactions based on facilitation theory, a multi-trophic approach provides a tool that not only enhances microbiome stewardship and coral reef restoration success but also reinforces the long-term sustainability of reef ecosystems in a changing climate. This article is part of the theme issue 'Managing infectious marine diseases in wild populations'.
Managing populations after a disease outbreak: exploration of epidemiological consequences of managed host reintroduction following disease-driven host decline.
Arroyo-Esquivel J, Gehman AM, Collins KF … +1 more , Sanchez F
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791748 · Publisher ↗
Disease outbreaks in wild populations worldwide can result in widespread mortality within populations, with the recovery of individuals being rare. An example of this population is the sunflower sea star Pycnopodia helia...
Disease outbreaks in wild populations worldwide can result in widespread mortality within populations, with the recovery of individuals being rare. An example of this population is the sunflower sea star Pycnopodia helianthioides o to an unidentified disease known as sea star wasting disease. Pycnopodia down control of kelp grazers in rocky reefs across the Northeastern Pacific coast. This, combined with the massive declines in kelp coverage observed during the 2015-2016 marine heat wave observed in the Northeastern Pacific, has sparked an interest in reintroducing Pycnopodia individuals on the coast to potentially assist in the recovery of the populations. However, the epidemiological implications of reintroducing healthy sea stars into the wild populations are an under-explored question. This work explores this question using a dynamical population model of Pycnopodia. We also find. This analysis provides valuable information on timing and intensity for restoring Pycnopodia populations. This article is part of the theme issue 'Managing infectious marine diseases in wild populations'.
Brace for the wave: planning for and responding to marine disease emergencies.
Gravem SA, Field LC, Bachhuber S … +8 more , Burnaford JL, Gavenus K, Hamilton SL, Miksell LL, Miner CM, Schiebelhut LM, Tonra KJ, Gehman AM
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791747 · Publisher ↗
Marine diseases are increasing globally, posing significant threats to both marine and human populations. Establishing ecosystem health baselines, detecting emerging diseases in marine wildlife and responding in time to...
Marine diseases are increasing globally, posing significant threats to both marine and human populations. Establishing ecosystem health baselines, detecting emerging diseases in marine wildlife and responding in time to manage an outbreak require a plan to be in place before a disease emergency unfolds. This enables monitoring and response networks to immediately begin to identify the etiologic agent, track disease progression, assess the ecological or economic risks, and prioritize the most appropriate and effective management strategies. Here, we present a marine disease outbreak contingency plan where a suspected infectious disease has caused a sudden increase in mortality of a generic marine wildlife host species, and much of the plan is also relevant for non-pathogenic mortality events and protected or economically valuable host species. The contingency plan has three sections: Diagnostics and Disease Dynamics, Ecology and Environment, and Mitigation and Remediation. Each section describes major goals and action items at different phases of an outbreak and highlights actions taken during the sea star wasting disease outbreak as a case study in disease response. We recommend strategies for increasing the overall preparedness for disease emergencies. Given our collective dependence on coastal ocean resources and the expected increase in marine disease outbreaks with climate change, we emphasize the importance of infrastructure and a network of human communities to address disease emergencies. This article is part of the theme issue 'Managing infectious marine diseases in wild populations'.
Fishery-dependent data and oceanographic model hindcasts inform potential drivers of an emerging syndrome in snow crab.
Yoshioka RM, Daly BJ, Pilcher DJ … +1 more , Groner ML
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791746 · Publisher ↗
Infectious marine diseases are often highly sensitive to shifting environmental conditions. Data limitations in difficult to access species often impede marine disease investigation. However, fishery-dependent data can a...
Infectious marine diseases are often highly sensitive to shifting environmental conditions. Data limitations in difficult to access species often impede marine disease investigation. However, fishery-dependent data can allow for expanded coverage in some systems. The emergence of black eye syndrome (BES) of Bering Sea snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) coincided with massive environmental and ecological shifts in the sea, necessitating improved disease monitoring towards better understanding stock health. Here, we combine fishery-dependent data from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Bering Sea crab observers programme and hindcasted bottom water conditions from a regional ocean model to explore potential drivers of BES in Bering Sea snow crab using spatially explicit generalized linear mixed models (N = 719 048 crab). BES was positively associated with temperature, low pH, crab size, shell condition and local snow crab density (as catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE)). The associations of temperature and localized CPUE with BES are consistent with leading hypotheses explaining the recent snow crab population collapse, suggesting similar drivers, but their mechanisms influencing BES remain unclear. Fishery-dependent data collection remains an integral part of management, providing opportunities for expanded disease monitoring efforts. This article is part of the theme issue 'Managing infectious marine diseases in wild populations'.
Current contributions and future potential of genomics in combating marine diseases in a changing world.
Ruiz Daniels R, Green D, Norman RA … +1 more , Prentice M
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791745 · Publisher ↗
In an era of rapid environmental change, climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation are making marine disease dynamics increasingly unpredictable. Despite their significant role in global disease transmi...
In an era of rapid environmental change, climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation are making marine disease dynamics increasingly unpredictable. Despite their significant role in global disease transmission, marine diseases often receive less attention than those affecting terrestrial species. Managing these diseases remains challenging because of limited data and analytical frameworks that are primarily designed for land-based ecosystems. Recent advances in genetic and genomic technologies are transforming our understanding of host-pathogen-environment interactions, providing powerful tools to characterize disease processes across biological scales, from environmental to cellular. In this perspective, we discuss the insights offered by different genetic and genomic approaches, their current limitations and potential future applications, providing examples of current and emerging uses of these tools in marine systems. Although genomics is not a panacea, it offers a valuable framework for elucidating the drivers, evolution and spread of marine diseases, and for developing management strategies to mitigate their impacts on marine ecosystems. This article is part of the theme issue 'Managing infectious marine diseases in wild populations'.
High pathogenicity avian influenza in pinniped conservation.
Ashley E, Vanstreels RET, Barbieri M … +5 more , Puryear W, Gulland F, Field C, Johnson CK, Uhart M
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791744 · Publisher ↗
Since 2020, H5Nx high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) have caused widespread disruptions not only to global agriculture and trade but also to the health of free-ranging wildlife. Pinnipeds have experienced...
Since 2020, H5Nx high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) have caused widespread disruptions not only to global agriculture and trade but also to the health of free-ranging wildlife. Pinnipeds have experienced greater mortality from H5Nx HPAIV than any other mammalian taxa. Emergent virus strains, persisting over long time periods and vast geographic distances, have repeatedly triggered large-scale mortality events in pinniped populations. Of particular concern is the spread of H5Nx HPAIV to the Southern Hemisphere-including the emergence of a marine mammal-adapted clade in South America and detections in the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic-and to other remote locations such as the Hawaiian Islands. These developments elevate concern for the world's endangered, isolated and endemic pinnipeds. While managing HPAIV in any animal population is a formidable task, working with free-ranging marine mammals poses unique challenges. In this review and perspective piece, we attempt to synthesize complexities at this intersection. We describe lessons learned from HPAIV investigations in marine wildlife, highlight gaps in knowledge and capacity, and discuss the incorporation of outbreak risk assessment and countermeasures into pinniped conservation. Finally, we propose ways in which pinnipeds-and marine wildlife broadly-could be better integrated into existing systems for HPAIV intelligence, control and prevention. This article is part of the theme issue 'Managing infectious marine diseases in wild populations'.
Changes in transmission rates drive seasonal patterns of shrimp Black Gill disease.
Tomamichel M, Walters T, Fox E … +7 more , Rivera A, O'Hare M, Minniefield A, Braun M, Hall RJ, Frischer M, Byers J
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791743 · Publisher ↗
Quantifying the processes affecting disease dynamics is critical for informing management strategies. We present the results of a series of experiments and mechanistic models that disentangle the roles of disease transmi...
Quantifying the processes affecting disease dynamics is critical for informing management strategies. We present the results of a series of experiments and mechanistic models that disentangle the roles of disease transmission and host density, mortality and recovery in driving seasonal prevalence of shrimp Black Gill (sBG) disease. We first quantified seasonal sBG transmission to uninfected hosts deployed into the environment. Next, we manipulated temperature and infection status in a laboratory experiment to quantify drivers of host mortality and recovery. Finally, we utilized these experiments to parameterize a series of mechanistic models to determine whether disease dynamics were driven by host density-dependent or -independent processes. Transmission was highest during the summer, with 75-91% of hosts acquiring infection, but declined substantially in all other seasons (0-10%). In our laboratory experiment, we observed little disease-induced mortality and complete recovery from infection in all treatments. Our models revealed that host density did not drive disease dynamics. Together, this suggests that high transmission rates in the summer owing to seasonal changes in the environment, followed by gradual recovery when transmission rates are low, cause variation in sBG prevalence. Our methodology provides a framework to quantify drivers of seasonal variation in disease prevalence in fisheries. This article is part of the theme issue 'Managing infectious marine diseases in wild populations'.
Salt in the wound: consequences of changing salinities on marine disease.
Rocker MM, Yoshioka RM, Johnston KE … +3 more , Record NR, Small HJ, Groner ML
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791742 · Publisher ↗
Salinity plays an important role in the physiology of marine organisms and their pathogens. As the climate continues to change, marine and estuarine salinities may become more extreme and irregular, potentially altering...
Salinity plays an important role in the physiology of marine organisms and their pathogens. As the climate continues to change, marine and estuarine salinities may become more extreme and irregular, potentially altering host-pathogen interactions. In this review, we explore and highlight the role of salinity on a range of pathosystems, outlining impacts to the host, pathogen and their interactions. We present fisheries and aquaculture-focused case studies, including behavioural preferences for freshwater in sea louse-infested trout and the use of freshwater as a delouser in salmon aquaculture, the effects of rainfall and drought on prevalence of a lethal parasitic infection of crustaceans, as well as low saline environments as refugia from oyster disease. We also present a case study of human health risks examining how changing coastal salinities can affect seafood-associated illnesses, and a conservation-directed case study examining the role of salinity and disease in defining the distribution of a habitat-forming species. Changing climatic conditions drive diverse salinity-altered epidemiological outcomes in these pathosystems. As salinities become more variable and less predictable, and fisheries management and marine conservation require increasing priority, future studies investigating multiple stressors, salinity included, on pathosystems will provide insights into organism and ecosystem resilience under future climate scenarios. This article is part of the theme issue 'Managing infectious marine diseases in wild populations'.
Long-term field survey reveals salinity as key determinant of estuarine host infection by a non-native castrating parasite.
Pochtar D, Ruiz G, Tepolt C … +4 more , Blakeslee AMH, Torchin M, Noble M, Fowler A
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41791741 · Publisher ↗
Long-term ecological studies are essential for understanding community structure and change. In estuaries, dynamic environmental gradients drive spatiotemporal shifts in populations through complex abiotic and biotic int...
Long-term ecological studies are essential for understanding community structure and change. In estuaries, dynamic environmental gradients drive spatiotemporal shifts in populations through complex abiotic and biotic interactions. Biological invasions add novel relationships, including those between hosts and parasites. Estuarine environments often provide low-salinity refugia that reduce parasite pressure, slowing host resistance evolution by maintaining a reservoir of susceptible individuals. When naive hosts emerge from these refugia, they may support host recovery and supply new targets for parasites, diluting resistance in the population. Using a 12-year field survey across a salinity gradient in Chesapeake Bay, MD, USA, we examined how environmental conditions (salinity, temperature) and host demographics (% gravid females, total abundance and size) correlate with infection prevalence of the introduced castrating parasite Loxothylacus panopaei in native, white-fingered mud crabs (Rhithropanopeus harrisii). Infection prevalence varied from 0 to 75.9% (n = 102 632) and peaked with elevated salinity, temperature and host reproduction. Larger crabs (>9 mm carapace width) showed higher infection rates, especially under high salinity and temperature. Salinity was the most consistent predictor of infection, with low salinity (<10 ppt) providing refuge. These findings show how fluctuating environmental conditions structure parasite prevalence across scales, with implications for host population dynamics under climate change. This article is part of the theme issue 'Managing infectious marine diseases in wild populations'.
Vaccines and antimicrobial resistance-a veterinary pharmaceutical industry perspective.
Descamps F, Dreesen L, Sunderland S
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41710961 · Publisher ↗
Resistance to antimicrobials is a growing global concern for public and animal health. There is increasing pressure aimed at reducing the use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals in the European Union (EU) and els...
Resistance to antimicrobials is a growing global concern for public and animal health. There is increasing pressure aimed at reducing the use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals in the European Union (EU) and elsewhere through implementation measures and incentives, with the objective to reduce the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria from food-producing animals and food. Accordingly, the use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals has significantly decreased in the EU and there have been considerable efforts in the identification and development of possible alternatives to antimicrobials, such as vaccines. It is now widely recognized and reported that vaccination may contribute to reducing antimicrobial use in food-producing animals and may indirectly reduce the risk of antimicrobial selection and/or development of AMR. Vaccines against bacterial infections and immunosuppressive viruses are especially relevant in this regard. The article briefly reviews the current status and trends relating to the development and availability of vaccines that may be of interest in reducing the use of antimicrobials. Possible opportunities are discussed, with a specific focus on regulatory requirements. Clearly, veterinary vaccines have a part to play and support for innovation in the area remains critically important. This article is part of the Royal Society Science+ meeting issue 'Vaccines and antimicrobial resistance: from science to policy'.
Vaccines and antimicrobial resistance: from science to policy-summary and outcomes.
MacLennan CA, Hasso-Agopsowicz M, Abuga KM … +26 more , Adegbola RA, Anderson AS, Borriello P, Buurman E, Carey ME, Chibuye M, Colquhoun DJ, Cooney R, Descamps F, Dougan G, Kaslow DC, Komo TW, Hatchett R, Hausdorff WP, La Ragione R, Larocque R, Laxminarayan R, McDonnell A, O'Brien K, Oliveira LMA, Qamar FN, Rappuoli R, Tufet M, Westwood E, Yugueros-Marcos J, Davies SC
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41710960 · Publisher ↗
In April 2024, the Royal Society convened a Science+ meeting in London on 'Vaccines and antimicrobial resistance: from science to policy'. The purpose was to review the science of how vaccines reduce antimicrobial resist...
In April 2024, the Royal Society convened a Science+ meeting in London on 'Vaccines and antimicrobial resistance: from science to policy'. The purpose was to review the science of how vaccines reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and discuss policy in advancing development and equitable deployment of such vaccines. The meeting adopted a One Health approach with international speakers presenting from both human and veterinary perspectives. Presentations on Day 1 focused on scientific aspects of the AMR threat and the role of vaccines as counter measures. On Day 2, presentations covered associated policy implications based on this scientific understanding. A closing panel discussion looked towards the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AMR in New York in September 2024. This article is the closing contribution to an issue of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B based on the meeting. It serves as a summary of the two days of proceedings, including key outcomes and recommendations, and provides an overall conclusion to the meeting. This article is part of the Royal Society Science+ meeting issue 'Vaccines and antimicrobial resistance: from science to policy'.
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