Understanding the origin of sex differences in lifespan and aging patterns remains a salient challenge in both biogerontology and evolutionary biology. Different factors have been studied but the potential influence of pathogens has never been investigated. Sex differences, especially in hormones and resource allocation, generate a differential response to pathogens and thereby shape sex differences in lifespan or aging. We provide an integrative framework linking host pathogenic environment with both sex-specific selections on immune performance and mortality trajectories. We propose future directions to fill existing knowledge gaps about mechanisms that link sex differences, not only to exposition and sensitivity to pathogens, but also to mortality patterns, whilst emphasizing the urgent need to consider the role of sex in medicine.

理解寿命和衰老模式中性别差异的起因仍然是生物老年医学和进化生物学的一个重大挑战。已经研究了不同的因素，但尚未研究病原体的潜在影响。性别差异，尤其是激素和资源分配方面的性别差异，会导致对病原体的差异反应，从而影响寿命或衰老过程中的性别差异。我们提供了一个整合的框架，将宿主的致病环境与免疫性能和死亡率的性别选择结合起来。我们提出了未来的方向，以填补有关将性别差异联系起来的机制的现有知识空白，这不仅与对病原体的阐述和敏感性有关，而且与死亡率模式有关，同时强调了迫切需要考虑性别在医学中的作用。