
Promiscuity and the primate immune system.
Publication
, Journal Article
Nunn, CL; Gittleman, JL; Antonovics, J
Published in: Science (New York, N.Y.)
November 2000
The behavioral and ecological factors involved in immune system evolution remain poorly explored. We present a phylogenetic analysis of white blood cell counts in primates to test three hypotheses related to disease risk: increases in risk are expected with group size or population density, exposure to soil-borne pathogens, and mating promiscuity. White blood cell counts were significantly greater in species where females have more mating partners, indicating that the risk of sexually transmitted disease is likely to be a major factor leading to systematic differences in the primate immune system.
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Published In
Science (New York, N.Y.)
DOI
EISSN
1095-9203
ISSN
0036-8075
Publication Date
November 2000
Volume
290
Issue
5494
Start / End Page
1168 / 1170
Related Subject Headings
- Species Specificity
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Sexual Behavior, Animal
- Risk Factors
- Primate Diseases
- Population Density
- Male
- Leukocyte Count
- Immune System
- Haplorhini
Citation
APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Nunn, C. L., Gittleman, J. L., & Antonovics, J. (2000). Promiscuity and the primate immune system. Science (New York, N.Y.), 290(5494), 1168–1170. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.290.5494.1168
Nunn, C. L., J. L. Gittleman, and J. Antonovics. “Promiscuity and the primate immune system.” Science (New York, N.Y.) 290, no. 5494 (November 2000): 1168–70. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.290.5494.1168.
Nunn CL, Gittleman JL, Antonovics J. Promiscuity and the primate immune system. Science (New York, NY). 2000 Nov;290(5494):1168–70.
Nunn, C. L., et al. “Promiscuity and the primate immune system.” Science (New York, N.Y.), vol. 290, no. 5494, Nov. 2000, pp. 1168–70. Epmc, doi:10.1126/science.290.5494.1168.
Nunn CL, Gittleman JL, Antonovics J. Promiscuity and the primate immune system. Science (New York, NY). 2000 Nov;290(5494):1168–1170.

Published In
Science (New York, N.Y.)
DOI
EISSN
1095-9203
ISSN
0036-8075
Publication Date
November 2000
Volume
290
Issue
5494
Start / End Page
1168 / 1170
Related Subject Headings
- Species Specificity
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Sexual Behavior, Animal
- Risk Factors
- Primate Diseases
- Population Density
- Male
- Leukocyte Count
- Immune System
- Haplorhini