Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Category
STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)
Abstract/Artist Statement
Physiological stress is widely hypothesized to influence immune function and disease susceptibility in a variety of systems, yet empirically testing this relationship remains limited in free-ranging wildlife. The Sin Nombre virus (SNV) – Deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) system provides a natural framework for exploring how host physiology relates to infection status under ecologically relevant conditions. In this study, we assessed variation in physiological stress, immune metrics, and condition among wild-caught deer mice sampled across multiple sites in Western Montana. We quantified stress and condition using circulating corticosterone responses to a standardized suppression challenge, hematocrit, white blood cell profiles, and biometric measurements to explore their relationship with SNV infection status. Using these data, we explore whether physiological indicators differ between infected and uninfected individuals, and whether these relationships vary across sites. Across the study period, SNV prevalence was 13.5%, and stress-regulation phenotypes differed among hosts. Females – particularly lactating females – more frequently exhibited altered stress regulation. By integrating endocrine and immune data, this work aims to characterize how individual-level physiological variation may be associated with SNV infection patterns in natural populations.
Mentor Name
Angela Luis
Host physiological variation in a wild reservoir of Sin Nombre virus
UC North Ballroom
Physiological stress is widely hypothesized to influence immune function and disease susceptibility in a variety of systems, yet empirically testing this relationship remains limited in free-ranging wildlife. The Sin Nombre virus (SNV) – Deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) system provides a natural framework for exploring how host physiology relates to infection status under ecologically relevant conditions. In this study, we assessed variation in physiological stress, immune metrics, and condition among wild-caught deer mice sampled across multiple sites in Western Montana. We quantified stress and condition using circulating corticosterone responses to a standardized suppression challenge, hematocrit, white blood cell profiles, and biometric measurements to explore their relationship with SNV infection status. Using these data, we explore whether physiological indicators differ between infected and uninfected individuals, and whether these relationships vary across sites. Across the study period, SNV prevalence was 13.5%, and stress-regulation phenotypes differed among hosts. Females – particularly lactating females – more frequently exhibited altered stress regulation. By integrating endocrine and immune data, this work aims to characterize how individual-level physiological variation may be associated with SNV infection patterns in natural populations.