Bridging the Gap: Integrating Knowledge from the Study of Social Network Analysis and Infectious Disease Dynamics in Human and Nonhuman Primates

Primates live in complex social systems, and social contact and disease interact to shape the evolution of animal (including human) sociality. Researchers use social network analysis (SNA), a method of mapping and measuring contact patterns within a network of individuals, to understand the role that social interactions play in disease transmission. Here, we review lessons learned from SNA of humans and nonhuman primates (NHPs) and explore how they can inform health and wildlife conservation. Utilizing the breadth of knowledge in human systems and outlining how we can integrate that knowledge into our understanding of NHP sociality will add to our comprehension of disease transmission in NHP social networks and, in turn, will reveal more about human disease and well-being.