Seasonal patterns of stress, immune function, and disease

About this book

"As the seasons change, animals face alterations in environmental stressors. In particular, the prevalence and intensity of pathogenic infection are often seasonal. This book presents evidence that infection is cyclical with the seasons and that this phenomenon is mirrored in cycles of immune function." "The goal of this book is to identify the mechanisms by which the immune system is bolstered to counteract seasonally recurrent stressors, such as extreme temperature reductions and food shortages. The authors consider how such environmental changes create energetically demanding conditions that can compromise host immunity and lead to illness and death. Specifically, stress, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and human cancers are examined, and the role of hormones such as melatonin and glucocorticoids is considered." "This is the first monograph to examine seasonal immune function from an interdisciplinary perspective. Practitioners as well as advanced undergraduates and graduate students in biology, immunology, human and veterinary medicine, neuroscience, endocrinology, and zoology will find its approach both insightful and relevant."--Jacket.