If reproduction of itself is why pathogens infect hosts, wouldn’t it be best for them to infect and keep the host alive rather than causing death? Do they just reproduce too much and kill the host without understanding that it would result in the host dying and themselves with it?
In: 2
It would be better, since there’d be a chance for a re-infection, and the host species generally won’t take extraordinary countermeasures. I mean, if you were a bug, you’d be better off being the common cold than Ebola. But the bugs don’t “understand” *anything* and they can’t adjust their effect.
What we see is evolution in action, as different strains compete — more infectious strains have a big advantage, while less lethal strains have a slight advantage.
Latest Answers