[Human diseases as representation of interspecies competition].

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol (2007) PMID 17672143

Different aspects of competition between human and pathogenic microorganisms as well as their role in evolution of the human as biological species and development of its polymorphism were reviewed. Biological consequences of interaction between human and pathogenic microorganisms and also main factors of genetic selection such as tuberculosis, malaria, etc. were characterized. Numerous forms of polymorphism, which determine level of susceptibility and features of clinical course of many infections in humans, were described. It has been concluded that selective pressure of microorganisms results from direct selection due to excessive mortality of infected persons before integration in human genome as well as that immunologic pressure of mass immunization results in changes of pathogenic microorganisms populations leading to emergence of their antigenically distinct variants. New knowledge about competition between human and pathogenic microorganisms requires development of fundamentally new approaches in fight with infectious diseases.