In our own species, disease can be swift and devastating. In the U.S. alone, SARS-CoV2 has killed at least one million loved ones in two years, behind only heart disease and cancer as our leading cause of death. Much of the time, however, disease canbe chronic, setting us back somewhat but not, at the time, causing death. Many illnesses have more favorable outcomes, with time and our immune systems erasing all signs in a few days. The same mix of devastatingly swift disease versus long-term illnessversus, one hopes, full recovery, holds true for the many plants and animals we cherish and / or rely upon. A lot of our work as researchers goes toward better understanding the long-term effects of disease on colony productivity, from lost days as a nurse, to some sort of brain fog when trying to find flowers or return home, to slightly shorter lifespans that are rarely noticed aside from their additive effects on colony size and productivity.
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