Exploring Host-Pathogen Interactions through Biological Control

Invasive pests impose a major burden on the agricultural industries and the natural environment, threatening some native species with extinction. Although chemical agents are often deployed to eliminate pests, unspecific toxicity makes their use undesirable. Biological agents are of interest as an alternative method to cull specific pest species with little residual environmental harm. The deliberate release of microbial pathogens, referred to as biological control (biocontrol), has, to date, largely involved viruses. Here, we summarise the past and proposed applications of the biocontrol of vertebrate pests. Despite understandable fears, vertebrate biocontrol has yet to be associated with adverse effects, and provides large-scale natural experiments by which to understand the intimate interactions between hosts and their pathogens.