Is pathogen prediction possible?
by Arturo Casadevall As humanity comes into contact with new microbes, there is a need to identify which might be future pathogenic threats. Host–microbe interactions manifest emergent properties and chaotic dynamics, posing limits on prediction. However, probabilistic predictions are possible. To what extent can we predict future pathogenic microbes? This Perspective discusses why complex requirements for virulence and dynamic host-microbe interactions make probabilistic predictions difficult, but not impossible.
by Arturo Casadevall As humanity comes into contact with new microbes, there is a need to identify which might be future pathogenic threats. Host–microbe interactions manifest emergent properties and chaotic dynamics, posing limits on prediction. However, probabilistic predictions are possible. To what extent can we predict future pathogenic microbes? This Perspective discusses why complex requirements for virulence and dynamic host-microbe interactions make probabilistic predictions difficult, but not impossible.
