Parasitism to mutualism shift during a viral infection in Drosophila under thermal stress

Chronic thermal stress in Drosophila melanogaster attenuates virulence across multiple natural RNA viruses and shifts persistent Nora virus infection into conditional mutualism.

• Why it matters: Environmental drivers of transitions from parasitism to mutualism are poorly understood, limiting predictions of how climate warming reshapes host–pathogen interaction outcomes.
• What they did: The study exposed Drosophila melanogaster to chronic thermal stress during persistent Nora virus infection and assessed lifespan, reproductive output, behavioral performance, and viral persistence, alongside immunometabolic and aging-related mechanisms.
• The result: Thermal stress-linked immunometabolic reprogramming and aging deceleration invert the interaction sign without reducing viral persistence, expanding host thermal reaction norms during persistent infection.

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