research studies » completed studies
Since our founding in 1948, Morris Animal Foundation has funded hundreds of health research studies to protect, treat and cure the world's companion animals and wildlife.
Our studies have led to major advances in veterinary care, including vaccines and other preventions, diagnostic tools and new therapies for the diseases and health conditions that threaten the lives of the animals we love. Search our completed study database by species and/or disease to learn more about how our work has given animals longer, healthier lives.
Category
D07ZO-647: Do Immune Responses to Helicobacter Change Over Time in Captivity in Wild-Caught Namibian Cheetahs
principal investigator: Samantha Haskins, Veterinary Student Scholar, University of Illinois
completed
Results
Stress May Cause Immune Suppression in Cheetahs
The student and fellow investigators measured the levels of several cytokines (proteins that help coordinate the immune system) in 10 captive cheetahs to evaluate the animals’ immune system functions over time and to determine whether cytokine expression changes during the time in captivity. Although no clear trends were noticed collectively, some animals had predictable changes in cytokine levels that suggest a normal inflammatory response to increasingly severe gastritis, and other individuals showed evidence of stress-induced immune suppression. Future analysis of cortisol levels in wild-caught captive cheetahs may help clarify confounding results between individuals. Results of this study will be incorporated into several planned publications that are part of the long-term monitoring of the health of wild-caught captive-held cheetahs being conducted by the student’s mentor and her collaborators.
