World News – AU – « Amazing Evolutionary Response »: Tasmanian Devil Gains Leadership In Fight Against Devastating Facial Cancer

The spread of deadly diseases has slowed, new research shows, leading to renewed optimism about the chances of survival

The spread of a facial cancer that has plagued the Tasmanian devil population has slowed and increased its chances of survival due to the animal’s “amazing evolutionary response”.

An international team of scientists used a genomic tool that is typically used to track viruses like Covid-19 to monitor the spread of the communicable cancer that has caused vicious numbers to crash by more than 80% over the past two decades.

An unusual disease known as Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD) is transmitted between animals by biting. A decade ago there were concerns that this could lead to the extinction of the marsupial as it invaded the population in most parts of the island nation.

But a new publication in the respected journal Science says that the spread of cancer has slowed. The curve is flattened. and it is now believed unlikely to wipe out the endangered species.

Prof. Andrew Storfer, a Washington State University biologist who led the research, said the results were « cautiously optimistic good news ». .

« I think we will see the devils continue to survive » initially at fewer numbers and densities than the original population size, but extinction seems really unlikely, even though it was predicted a decade ago. he said in a statement.

The study extends previous work by Dr. Rodrigo Hamede, a disease ecologist at the University of Tasmania, who pointed out that a handful of devils had developed a natural immune response to the disease.

The new paper found that while DFTD was normally still fatal, the number of cases reproduced from each primary case had dropped from a high of about 3. 5 to less than one.

The authors concluded that devils likely evolved quickly to tolerate and possibly resist cancer and could now exist in a « steady state ». in order to.

They examined more than 11. 000 genes from tumor samples collected over a period of nearly 20 years using a genomic approach known as phylodynamics, which enabled the analysis of changes in DNA to follow the evolution of the disease through the population.

The researchers said there is growing evidence that some devils may be recovering from DFTD, which they did not in his early incarnation. It is believed that there are around 10. 000 people are left.

Hamede, co-author of the latest study, said he was amazed at the rate at which the devils have evolved in response to DFTD.

« These things just don’t happen in four or five generations, they take a lot longer, » he said.

â ???? This new study shows that the epidemic peaked some time ago. We expect the devils to make a comeback in the future. â ????

The researchers said the results cast doubt on the future of programs that exist to release captive-bred devils into the wild, as breeding between animals exposed to the disease and those in captivity That could slow down or reverse the tumor-resistant development from the wild population.

Hamede said these types of programs should only be undertaken when it is clear that the benefits are greater than population recovery from natural selection.

Tasmanian Devil, Devil Face Cancer Disease, Tasmania, Marsupials, Clonally Transmitted Cancer