Biology and evolution of sexual transmission

Abstract

Sexual reproduction brings together and recombines different genomes. Associated with these contacts is transmission of microorganisms and selfish genetic elements, many of which can be harmful to the host. In organisms with internal fertilization, sexually transmitted infections are caused by pathogens transmitted between the parents participating in mating. Sexual transmission has different epidemiological dynamics from nonsexual transmission in that it is less likely to be dependent on host density, there may be no population density threshold for disease increase, and it is more likely to lead to host extinction. Analysis of the evolutionary pathways that have led to the sexual mode of transmission in pathogens indicates that sexual transmission appears more often to be derived from nonsexual transmission, although the pathways are highly variable, and several groups of pathogens are exceptions to this rule. Sexual transmission has evolved from a wide variety of alternative transmission modes, although rarely from aerially transmitted diseases. More data are needed on the phylogeny and transmission mode of the relatives of sexually transmitted pathogens in order to guide development of animal models and comparative studies.