Pathogen avoidance
[8] Compared to the alternative, facing the infectious threat, avoidance likely provides a reduction in exposure to pathogens and in energetic costs associated with activation of the physiological immune response.
[2] In humans, the disgust responses are the primary mechanism for avoiding infection through behavior triggered by sensory cues.
Finally context-dependent avoidance can only occur if additional information is taken as input- if other mechanisms exist that function to trade off pathogen presence against other fitness-impacting dimensions across various contexts.
[23] Sexual behavior with another individual, such as intercourse is a major source of pathogenic risk particularly for bacterial or viral infection.
[31] Distinct properties of parasite transmission of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems lead to differences in the avoidance behaviors in these environments, however, the mechanisms are quite similar.
[32] For example, marine parasites are estimated to spread at a rate two times faster than terrestrial counterparts due to a combination of the increased viscosity and density of seawater and the movement of water through tides and currents.
[33] Researchers have suggested that elements of a conservative political orientation function to reduce individual exposure to infectious agents.
[30] Another study, suggests that a generalized response to social resources is a more plausible mechanism underlying in-group favoritism than adaptations to pathogen stress.
[1] Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) use branches to deter biting flies from areas of the body with thinner skin or that cannot be easily reached.
[39][40] Rats use their saliva which possesses bactericidal properties,[41] to protect themselves and potential mating partners from genital pathogens by licking their genitalia after copulation.
[39][42] Wood rats (Neotoma fuscipes) exhibit a unique behavior of placing bay leaves (Umbellularia californica) in or near their nest to prevent flea infestations.
[53] Within the colony, parasitic avoidance include: having several queens, nest construction that prevents invasion,[54][55] chemical cues, coordinated defense.
[63] A study has suggested that the four pillars of human medicine: quarantine, medication, immunization and nursing or caring are extensions of behavioral defenses against pathogens seen in animals.
[5] Hart argues that more complex applications of pathogen avoidance behaviors seen in medicine can be attributed to advanced linguistic and cognitive capabilities and higher rates of sickness in humans compared to animals.
