Parasite Interactions
The two common species of gastrointestinal helminths have a negative
association, as evidenced by both the S. obvelata prevalence
(z=2.468, p=0.0136, OR=0.207) and T. muris abundance (z=2.125,
p=0.0336, OR=0.456) models. There was a strong positive association
observed between C. hepaticum and T. muris , with the
prevalence of the former significantly predicting that of the latter
(z=3.558, p=0.00037, OR=4.272) and with C. hepaticum infection
score predicting the abundance of T. muris (z=2.521, p=0.0117,
OR=1.189). C. hepaticum prevalence also showed a positive
association with Bartonella sp. prevalence, a relationship that
is observed in the models for both species (Bartonella sp. model
z=2.322, p=0.0203, OR=3.067. C. hepaticum model z=1.971,
p=0.0488, OR=2.648). Sarcocystis sp. prevalence was negatively
predicted by C.hepaticum prevalence (z=2.306, p=0.0211,
OR=-1.815). The abundance of mites in the fur showed positive
associations with fleas in the fur (z=2.22, p=0.0264, OR=1.811), and
with the prevalence of C. hepaticum (z=2.421, p=0.0255,
OR=2.384), predicting the prevalence of both. The network of parasite
interactions seen in this population of M. musculus is shown in
Fig 1.