Abstract Parasitic organisms make up a significant portion of the biological world. Their hosts are in a constant struggle to combat their fitness diminishing effects – one of those effects being death. Humans have been coevolving with pathogens (like the vast majority of species) since our inception. This has resulted in physiological, behavioral, and psychological defense mechanisms. The aims of this study are threefold. First, the literature exploring this coevolution and the concomitant...