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Date of Graduation

5-2026

Description

Reservoir hosts play a critical role in the persistence and spillover of zoonotic pathogens. Upon infection, reservoir hosts can shed viral loads sufficient for transmission and spillover often without displaying apparent pathogenic effects. Investigating how their immune systems control infection can provide insights into the factors that facilitate spillover events. Understanding the mechanisms that enable these infection characteristics is crucial for informing public health and conservation strategies. Though reservoir hosts’ immune responses are well-documented in controlled laboratory settings, these studies are not representative of natural populations. The bank vole - Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) system is well suited for investigating such host-pathogen interactions in wild populations. By examining how PUUV influences immune responses in wild bank voles, we may gain a better understanding of the mechanisms that allow for viral persistence in reservoir hosts. Using a capture-mark-recapture approach, natural populations of bank voles were longitudinally monitored at monthly intervals over three years. Over 2000 paired samples were collected to determine hantavirus infection status and immune profiles. Using differential white blood cell counts, we evaluated changes in immunity for individual voles before and after PUUV infection. Immune profiles of individuals who seroconverted from PUUV-negative to PUUV-positive showed no significant differences in monocytes, lymphocytes, and neutrophils before and after infection. Furthermore, PUUV infection showed no association with leukocyte profiles, whereas variation in leukocyte profiles was significantly associated with vole characteristics and environmental factors. This investigation aims to provide insights into PUUV-associated immune responses within wild populations of the reservoir host. Ultimately, these results enhance our understanding of immune responses in wildlife, contributing to better management practices for hosts of zoonotic infectious diseases.

Publication Date

2026

Document Type

Book

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Biology

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Biological Sciences

Advisor/Mentor

Forbes, Kristian

Disciplines

Biology

Keywords

Natural Science

Investigating changes in white blood cell composition in wild hosts in response to viral infection

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Biology Commons

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