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Abstract
Individual humans and animals are subject to infection by a variety of parasites (broadly
defined to include viruses, bacteria and other non-protozoan microparasites) at any
one time. Multiple parasite infections occur frequently in populations of wild animals
as well as in humans from developing countries. In some species and regions, hosts
with multiple infections are more common than hosts with either no infection or a
single infection. Studies, predominantly on animals, show that a wide variety of environmental
and host-dependent factors can influence the structure and dynamics of the communities
of parasites that make up these multiple infections. In addition, synergistic and
competitive interactions can occur between parasite species, which can influence the
likelihood of their successful transmission to other hosts and increase or decrease
their overall pathogenic impact. This review summarises aspects of our current knowledge
on the frequency of multiparasite infections, the factors which influence them, and
their pathogenic significance.