A first line of defence against infection can take the form of avoidance behaviour. In the case of a species of fly that lives on desert cacti this means moving into the light if mites are around.
Antimicrobial resistance is a global crisis, but it is not given much ‘air time’ by world leaders, the media, and the public in general. Yet, as a systematic review published recently in the The Lancet reveals, its global impact is far greater than many infectious diseases such as malaria and AIDS.
Recent technological advancements have accelerated the discovery and characterization of microbes affecting a diversity of hosts. Scientists are using these new methods to better understand which, where, and when microbes are associated with animal communities.