This is an unedited manuscript accepted for publication and provided as an Article in Press for early access at the author’s request. The article will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and galley proof review before final publication. Please be aware that errors may be identified during production that could affect the content. All legal disclaimers of the journal apply.
Alisha Arzoo,
- Student, Medical Virology, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
Abstract
The interaction between hosts and pathogens represents a continuous evolutionary struggle, shaping both microbial virulence and host immunity. Pathogens employ diverse strategies to evade immune surveillance, ranging from antigenic variation and molecular mimicry to hijacking of host immune checkpoints. Simultaneously, hosts refine innate and adaptive immune mechanisms to counteract infection and limit damage. This reciprocal adaptation, known as host–pathogen coevolution, influences pathogen persistence, transmission, and fitness, while also sculpting immune system architecture. Case studies from viruses, such as HIV and influenza, bacteria like Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Staphylococcus aureus, and fungi including Candida albicans, illustrate the complexity of these dynamics. Clinically, immune evasion contributes to chronic infections, vaccine escape, and antimicrobial resistance, posing major challenges for healthcare systems. However, emerging therapeutic approaches, such as immune checkpoint modulation, quorum sensing inhibitors, and evolutionary-informed vaccine design, offer promising avenues to outpace microbial adaptation. Understanding coevolutionary principles is, therefore, critical not only for infectious disease management but also for anticipating future pathogen threats. This article reviews the mechanisms of host–pathogen coevolution, the clinical and evolutionary consequences of immune evasion, and the translational challenges in developing sustainable countermeasures
Keywords: Host–Pathogen coevolution, immune evasion, Pathogen fitness, antigenic variation, chronic infections
Alisha Arzoo. Host Invasion to Immune Evasion: Emerging Concepts in Pathogen Virulence Strategies. International Journal of Pathogens. 2025; 03(01):-.
Alisha Arzoo. Host Invasion to Immune Evasion: Emerging Concepts in Pathogen Virulence Strategies. International Journal of Pathogens. 2025; 03(01):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/ijpg/article=2025/view=237789
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International Journal of Pathogens
| Volume | 03 |
| 01 | |
| Received | 14/09/2025 |
| Accepted | 01/11/2025 |
| Published | 15/11/2025 |
| Publication Time | 62 Days |
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