The mechanisms and epidemiological significance of domiciliation

Abstract

Various animal populations have, frequently, been observed surviving under artificial alterations of environment. The main concern in this regard relates to the selection of populations based on the stage of their adaptation to the domiciliary environment or to the formation of artificial biocenoses that have natural foci, and which, consequently, mean that these diseases can become urbanized. The establishment of the synanthropy mechanisms based on biogeographical information, the evolution of the species and the human casuistic are here discussed from this viewpoint. Emphasis is given to the arthropod vector of the disease in present and past times. The interspecific relations between man and insects through the associative character of vetorial species are examined with regard to this point. The epidemiological significance of this concept lies in the types of human exposure to disease and the identification of the attributes involved in these infections. Finally, emphasis is given to domiciliation as a biological phenomenon together with intrinsic factors of populations and extrinsic factors of environment, these last including anthropic influences.