Evolution and manipulation of vector host choice

5 The transmission of many animal and plant diseases relies on the behavior of arthropod vectors. In 6 particular, the choice to feed on either infected or uninfected hosts can dramatically affect the 7 epidemiology of vector‐borne diseases. I develop an epidemiological model to explore the impact 8 of host choice behavior on the dynamics of these diseases and to examine selection acting on 9 vector behavior, but also on pathogen manipulation of this behavior. This model identifies multiple 10 evolutionary conflicts over the control of this behavior and generates testable predictions under 11 different scenarios. In general, the vector should evolve the ability to avoid infected hosts. 12 However, if the vector behavior is under the control of the pathogen, uninfected vectors should 13 prefer infected hosts while infected vectors should seek uninfected hosts. But some mechanistic 14 constraints on pathogen manipulation ability may alter these predictions. These theoretical results 15 are discussed in the light of observed behavioral patterns obtained on a diverse range of vector‐ 16 borne diseases. These patterns confirm that several pathogens have evolved conditional 17 behavioral manipulation strategies of their vector species. Other pathogens, however, seem 18 unable to evolve such complex conditional strategies. Contrasting the behavior of infected and 19 uninfected vectors may thus help reveal mechanistic constraints acting on the evolution of the 20 manipulation of vector behavior. 21