Network structure of domestic mammal hosts and zoonotic bacteria:
implications for pathogen transmission
Abstract
Zoonotic diseases account for 75% of emerging infectious diseases,
posing significant global health challenges. Understanding the complex
host-pathogen interactions is crucial for effective disease management.
This study constructs and analyses a global bipartite network of
zoonotic bacteria and their domestic mammal hosts, aiming to explore how
domestication time and phylogenetic relationships influence network
structure. The network, consisting of 24 domestic mammal species and 51
zoonotic bacterial species, reveals a non-random structure with high
nestedness and low modularity. Results indicate that the richness of
zoonotic bacteria per host is positively correlated with domestication
time but not with phylogenetic distance from humans. These findings
suggest that early-domesticated species act as ”sinks” for newly exposed
zoonotic bacteria, driven by preferential attachment dynamics. This
network-level insight provides a valuable framework for predicting and
managing zoonotic disease transmission, emphasising the importance of
targeted interventions for highly connected host species.