Why is Microbial Evolution Important in Epidemiology?
Microbial evolution impacts epidemiology in several ways:
Pathogenicity: Evolution can enhance a microbe's ability to cause disease, making infections more severe. Antibiotic resistance: Microbes can evolve to resist antibiotics, making treatment more challenging. Immune evasion: Evolving microbes can avoid detection by the immune system, leading to persistent infections. Transmission: Changes in microbial traits can affect how easily a disease spreads among populations.
