Mystera M. Samuelson

Ticks are important vectors of human and animal disease, and outdoor workers are at elevated risk of tickborne diseases (TBDs). This risk is particularly relevant for Indigenous herd workers managing bison (colloquial: buffalo), which are culturally, spiritually, and economically significant. To address this gap, the InterTribal Buffalo Council and Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health partnered with Tick Tag Go (University of Nebraska–Lincoln) to provide education on tick identification, prevention, and TBDs at the 2024 Bison Worker Safety & Herd Health Roundtable. Thirty-four participants, including herd managers, workers, and tribal leaders, engaged in the session, with 27 completing a post-presentation survey. The presentation was well received: 96.3% reported gaining new knowledge, 70.4% indicated they were more likely to implement preventive practices, and 74.1% found the material relevant to their needs. Nearly half (44.4%) expressed interest in additional community-based programming. To our knowledge, this is the first report assessing perceptions of ticks and TBDs among Indigenous agricultural workers. Findings highlight both knowledge gaps and receptiveness to education, underscoring the importance of culturally tailored outreach to reduce TBD risk in Indigenous communities.

Preclinical studies have shown that chronic alcohol abuse leads to alterations in the gastrointestinal microbiota that are associated with behavior changes, physiological alterations, and immunological effects. However, such studies have been limited in their ability to evaluate the direct effects of alcohol-associated dysbiosis. To address this, we developed a humanized alcohol-microbiota mouse model to systematically evaluate the immunological effects of chronic alcohol abuse mediated by intestinal dysbiosis. Germ-free mice were colonized with human fecal microbiota from individuals with high and low Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores and bred to produce human alcohol-associated microbiota or human control-microbiota F1 progenies. F1 offspring colonized with fecal microbiota from individuals with high AUDIT scores had increased susceptibility to Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia, as determined by increased mortality rates, pulmonary bacterial burden, and post-infection lung damage. These findings highlight the importance of considering both the direct effects of alcohol and alcohol-induced dysbiosis when investigating the mechanisms behind alcohol-related disorders and treatment strategies.

Estimating population parameters such as survival and population growth is critical for the monitoring of at-risk populations of marine mammals. We conducted monthly boat-based photo-identification surveys in the Mississippi Sound and eastern Louisiana waters during January 2011–June 2015 to assess the status of the Mississippi Sound, Lake Borgne, and Bay Boudreau Tursiops truncatus (Common Bottlenose Dolphin) stock. Using the resulting mark–recapture data, we estimated the survival and population growth rates using a reverse capture–recapture method. The estimated monthly survival probability over this period of time was 0.969 (95% CI: 0.964–0.974). The final monthly population growth rate was then estimated to be 1.005 (95% CI: 0.998–1.013), which suggests a relatively stable population.