article published yes Sylvia Cremer author 2F64EC8C-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A870000-0002-2193-3868 Michael K Sixt author 41E9FBEA-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A870000-0002-6620-9179 SyCr department MiSi department Social distancing is an effective way to prevent the spread of disease in societies, whereas infection elimination is a key element of organismal immunity. Here, we discuss how the study of social insects such as ants — which form a superorganism of unconditionally cooperative individuals and thus represent a level of organization that is intermediate between a classical society of individuals and an organism of cells — can help to determine common principles of disease defence across levels of organization. Springer Nature2022 eng Energy Engineering and Power TechnologyFuel Technology 1474-1733 1474-1741 36284178 00087183630000110.1038/s41577-022-00797-y 2212713-714 Cremer, S., &#38; Sixt, M. K. (2022). Principles of disease defence in organisms, superorganisms and societies. <i>Nature Reviews Immunology</i>. Springer Nature. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-022-00797-y">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-022-00797-y</a> S. Cremer and M. K. Sixt, “Principles of disease defence in organisms, superorganisms and societies,” <i>Nature Reviews Immunology</i>, vol. 22, no. 12. Springer Nature, pp. 713–714, 2022. Cremer S, Sixt MK. Principles of disease defence in organisms, superorganisms and societies. <i>Nature Reviews Immunology</i>. 2022;22(12):713-714. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-022-00797-y">10.1038/s41577-022-00797-y</a> Cremer, Sylvia, and Michael K. Sixt. “Principles of Disease Defence in Organisms, Superorganisms and Societies.” <i>Nature Reviews Immunology</i>, vol. 22, no. 12, Springer Nature, 2022, pp. 713–14, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-022-00797-y">10.1038/s41577-022-00797-y</a>. Cremer, Sylvia, and Michael K Sixt. “Principles of Disease Defence in Organisms, Superorganisms and Societies.” <i>Nature Reviews Immunology</i>. Springer Nature, 2022. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-022-00797-y">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-022-00797-y</a>. S. Cremer, M.K. Sixt, Nature Reviews Immunology 22 (2022) 713–714. Cremer S, Sixt MK. 2022. Principles of disease defence in organisms, superorganisms and societies. Nature Reviews Immunology. 22(12), 713–714. 121332023-01-12T12:03:14Z2024-10-09T21:03:33Z