University
Shawnee State University
Major
Biomedical Science and Medical Laboratory Technology
Student Type
Undergraduate Student
Presentation Types
Poster Presentation (Live)
Keywords:
Rodents, Ectoparasites, Immunohematology, Eosinophils, Differential Cell Count
Abstract
Parasitic infections can significantly alter host immune responses, particularly through changes in white blood cell (WBC) populations. Ectoparasites such as ticks and mites are common in rodents and are known to elicit immune reactions, which are often characterized by an increase in eosinophils, granulocytes specialized in responding to parasitic infections. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ectoparasite infestations on rodent WBC counts, with a focus on eosinophil levels. Blood samples were collected from wild rodents via submandibular bleeding, and manual differentials were performed using Diff-Quik and Wright-Giemsa staining techniques. Initial findings revealed no significant increase in eosinophils, potentially due to the low number of rodents exhibiting heavy mite or tick infestations. Lymphocytes were the predominant white blood cell observed. Due to the limited sample size, further research is needed to determine whether ectoparasite burden correlates with eosinophil levels. Future studies will involve tagging rodents for recapture, allowing for longitudinal tracking of parasite burden and immune response over time and standardized ectoparasite grading (0-4+) will be implemented to assess infestation severity.
Human and Animal Subjects
yes
IRB or IACUC Approval
yes
Faculty Mentor Name
Ryan Powell
Faculty Mentor Department
Natural Sciences
Recommended Citation
Clark, Julia, "Parasite infections and immune system dynamics in rodents" (2025). Celebration of Scholarship. 13.
https://digitalcommons.shawnee.edu/cos/2025/posters/13
Location
Morris UC Lobby
Parasite infections and immune system dynamics in rodents
Morris UC Lobby
Parasitic infections can significantly alter host immune responses, particularly through changes in white blood cell (WBC) populations. Ectoparasites such as ticks and mites are common in rodents and are known to elicit immune reactions, which are often characterized by an increase in eosinophils, granulocytes specialized in responding to parasitic infections. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ectoparasite infestations on rodent WBC counts, with a focus on eosinophil levels. Blood samples were collected from wild rodents via submandibular bleeding, and manual differentials were performed using Diff-Quik and Wright-Giemsa staining techniques. Initial findings revealed no significant increase in eosinophils, potentially due to the low number of rodents exhibiting heavy mite or tick infestations. Lymphocytes were the predominant white blood cell observed. Due to the limited sample size, further research is needed to determine whether ectoparasite burden correlates with eosinophil levels. Future studies will involve tagging rodents for recapture, allowing for longitudinal tracking of parasite burden and immune response over time and standardized ectoparasite grading (0-4+) will be implemented to assess infestation severity.
