Research

Recent Publications/Research

Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic fever virus seroprevalence levels in deer across Spain (figure provided by IREC, Spain).

Tick-host systems and CCHFV

O’Neill, X., White, A., Gortázar, C. et al. (2023). The Impact of Host Abundance on the Epidemiology of Tick-Borne Infection. Bull Math Biol 85, 30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-023-01133-8

O’Neill, X., White, A., Gortázar, C. et al. (2025). Environmental driven changes in tick life history can explain the variation in CCHFV prevalence in the Iberian Peninsula. (In submission)

Tick-borne diseases are an increasing global public health concern due to an expanding geographical range, and increase in abundance of tick-borne infectious agents. The first of these studies examines the impact of varied host composition and host abundance on a generic tick-borne disease and a general tick-host system. The second focuses on a highly relevant pathogen, Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), in the Iberian Peninsula. It looks to understand and provide suggestions for the variation seen in CCHFV incidence and sero-prevalence across the region.

Pace of Life and Animal Social Networks

Ross S. Walker, Andy White, Xander O’Neill, Nina H. Fefferman, Matthew J. Silk (2025). The Role of Pace of Life in Animal Social Network Structures. bioRxiv. 04.10.648003. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.04.10.648 003

How does a varied selection of birth and death rates affect the evolution of an animal's social network? This study is highly relevant and applicable, where we incorporate demography, inheritance and more, into a social network model. For animals with a slower pace of life, network structures are primarily determined by the groups social preferences, whilst for species with a faster pace of life they are primarily determined by mechanisms of social inheritance.

Heterogeneity and the evolution of pathogen virulence

Xander O’Neill and Andy White et al. (2025). Superspreading and the evolution of virulence (in submission).

Xander O'Neill et al. (2025/2026). The Impact of Heterogeneous Contact Structure on the Evolution of Pathogen Virulence (in submission).

Here, we look to answer a broad question of how heterogeneity in a population would impact pathogen evolution.

The first of these studies is a non-spatial study, where heterogeneity is weighted in the transmission of infection, and where we look at the evolution of pathogen virulence, specifically. When heterogeneity provides no additional benefits or costs, either demographically or epidemiological, the level of heterogeneity has no impact on the evolution of pathogen virulence. However, if high individual transmission is linked to a higher tolerance to infection or higher vulnerability to infection then heterogeneity matters.

The second study looks at spatial network approach, where we capture heterogeneity in an individuals number of neighbours, and therefore, contacts. The addition of spatial structure imposes constraints on the pathogen, leading to heterogeneity now having a direct impact on the evolution of pathogen virulence.

Other Publications

O’Neill, X., White, A., & Boots, M. (2023). The evolution of parasite virulence under targeted culling and harvesting in wildlife and livestock. Evolutionary Applications, 16, 1697–1707. https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13594
O'Neill, X., White, A., Clancy, D., Ruiz-Fons, F. and Gortázar, C., (2021). The influence of latent and chronic infection on pathogen persistence. Mathematics, 9(9), p.1007. https://doi.org/10.3390/math9091007
O'Neill, X., White, A., Ruiz-Fons, F. and Gortázar, C., 2021. The impact of an African swine fever outbreak on endemic tuberculosis in wild boar populations: A model analysis. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. 00:111. https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.14052
O'Neill, X., White, A., Ruiz-Fons, F. and Gortázar, C., 2020. Modelling the transmission and persistence of African swine fever in wild boar in contrasting European scenarios. Scientific reports, 10(1), pp.1-10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-62736-y

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse