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Baculovirus infection, host immunity and pathogen competition in the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni

Resource type
Thesis type
(Thesis) M.P.M.
Date created
2015-04-22
Authors/Contributors
Abstract
Competition between pathogens within a host could change the short term and evolutionary outcomes of an infection. These interactions include resource-based and immune-mediated competition. We understand little about the insect immune response to virus infection and how this alters the host for future co-infecting pathogens. I characterised several immune parameters of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni, in response to challenge by a baculovirus, TnSNPV, and found that all parameters reduced with increasing virus dose. To measure the effect of competing pathogens on virus success, I exposed T. ni to TnSNPV followed by either the bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, or the fungus, Beauvaria bassiana. The fungus reduced the infection success of the baculovirus and the bacterium negatively impacted virus replication. This outcome has consequences for microbial control agents in insect pest management and adds to our fundamental understanding of the effect of mixed infections on pathogen and host populations.
Document
Identifier
etd8968
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Copyright is held by the author.
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The author granted permission for the file to be printed and for the text to be copied and pasted.
Scholarly level
Supervisor or Senior Supervisor
Thesis advisor: Cory, Jenny
Member of collection
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etd8968_JScholefield.pdf 1.67 MB

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