Which of the following is the most probable fate of a newly emerging virus that causes high mortality in its host?
A) It is able to spread to a large number of new hosts quickly because the new hosts have no immunological memory of them.
B) The new virus replicates quickly and undergoes rapid adaptation to a series of divergent hosts.
C) A change in environmental conditions such as weather patterns quickly forces the new virus to invade new areas.
D) Sporadic outbreaks will be followed almost immediately by a widespread pandemic.
E) The newly emerging virus will die out rather quickly or will mutate to be far less lethal.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Highly lethal viruses often have an evolutionary trade-off where they spread rapidly and lethally but burn out quickly. Natural selection favors viruses that preserve the life of their host for longer periods of time, giving them more opportunities to spread to new hosts. As such, it is likely that a newly emerging virus that causes high mortality in its host will either mutate to be less lethal or simply die out over time.

Which of the Following Is the Most Probable Fate of a Newly