Co?infection best predicts respiratory viral infection in a wild host

The dynamics of directly transmitted pathogens in natural populations are likely to result from the combined effects host traits, pathogen biology, and interactions among within a host. Discovering how these factors work concert shape variation host–multi-pathogen systems is fundamental understanding population health. Here, we describe temporal incidence then elucidate effect hosts trait, season co-occurrence on infection risk using one most comprehensive studies co-infection wild population: suite seven viral bacterial respiratory infections 4-year study 200 free-ranging African buffalo Syncerus caffer. Incidence upper was common throughout study—five out appeared be consistently circulating our population. One exhibited clear outbreak final year another rarely detected. Co-infection also this system: strongest indicator occurrence for viruses fact presence other infections. Host traits had minimal odds but did modify pathogen–pathogen associations. In contrast, only predicted occurrence. Though combination environmental, behavioural, physiological together disease dynamics, found associations best determined risk. Our demonstrates that, absence very fine-scale data, intricate changes represented by co-infection.