Baculovirus and coinfection dynamics in an insect host, Trichoplusia ni

When multiple pathogens coinfect a host, the short and long term outcomes can be far different from that of a single infection. We exposed Trichoplusia ni to its obligate baculovirus (T. ni SNPV) followed 24 hours later by exposure to either the bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis, or the fungi, Beauvaria bassiana. These pathogens could interact directly with the baculovirus, or indirectly via the host immune response. This may change the outcome of baculovirus infection both in terms of host mortality but also virus transmission potential. This information has important consequences for the application of microbial control agents in insect pest management but also adds fundamental understanding on the ways that pathogens affect each other and their host populations.