91Â鶹¾«Æ·

Animal Microbiology

Why do animals eat poop? What’s decimating amphibian populations? Why do squid glow?

The answer: microbes.

Microbes shape the lives of animals in profound ways. Aligning with the launch of ASM’s new journal, , the Fall 2025 issue of Microcosm explores how insights into animal-microbe interactions are driving progress in conservation, public health and scientific innovation. With story topics ranging from antimicrobial resistance in pets and reservoir-targeted strategies for controlling Lyme disease, to applications of the vibrio-squid symbiosis, the resurgence of the New World screwworm and the evolving role of animals in research, this issue sheds light on the complex and vital relationships between animals, microbes and the people and environments with which they interact.

The Link Between Pets, People and Antimicrobial Resistance

People share more than love with pets; they also share antimicrobial resistant (AMR) microbes. How pets factor into the spread of AMR is largely unclear. However, studying the dissemination of resistant organisms between people and companion animals informs strategies to promote the health of pets and pet owners alike.

Shedding Light on the Vibrio-Squid Symbiosis

Vibrio fischeri and bobtail squids have an intricate symbiotic relationship. How it begins and how it is maintained is a complicated process that affects squid development and survival. By studying this symbiosis, scientists can better understand animal-host interactions on a broader scale.

Baiting Mice to Beat Lyme Disease

Mice are key reservoirs for Borrelia burgdorferi, the cause of Lyme disease. Scientists are developing targeted strategies to minimize B. burgdorferi infections in mice—including topically treating animals with tick-targeting chemicals, or baiting them with edible pellets containing pesticides, antibiotics or vaccines—to limit the spread of disease.

Skin Deep: How Bd and Bsal Fungi Threaten Amphibian Health

Amphibian skin is a finely balanced system that allows frogs, toads and salamanders to thrive in highly variable environments. But the fungal pathogens Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and B. slamandirvorans disrupt that balance, devastating amphibian populations around the world. Can they be stopped?

Food Biosecurity: Flyways, Flocks, CAFOs and Avian Flu

Almost all poultry in the U.S., and increasingly globally, is being produced in concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs. Several biosecurity risks accompany this massive scale and close proximity of production, many of which are microbial in nature (e.g., avian influenza). What can be done to mitigate such risks?

How FMTs, Coprophagia and the Milk Microbiome Inform Wildlife Conservation

In this episode of Meet the Microbiologist, Sally Bornbusch, Ph.D., NSF postdoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian National Zoo, discusses how fecal microbiota transplants (FMTs) are being used to mitigate health concerns in wild animals in captivity, shares key findings about the milk microbiome and explains the science behind eating poo.

Animal Vaccine FAQs: Protecting Pets, Livestock and Wildlife

How often should pets get vaccinated? What challenges do farmers face in protecting their herds? How are wild koalas vaccinated? This FAQ provides answers to these questions and more, offering insights on veterinary vaccines and their role in protecting the health of animals, people and the planet.

New World Screwworm: Rise, Fall and Resurgence

International scientific collaboration halted the flesh-eating parasite New World screwworm (NWS). Then, in 2023, new outbreaks of NWS began spreading through Central America and Mexico, with a human case reported in the U.S. in August 2025 (the first in nearly a decade). Ongoing scientific cooperation and unity is vital to continue protecting food, public health and economies.

Is a Future Without Animal Models Possible?

Do we still need animal models? The use of animals in research has always been a sticking point, an ethical conundrum and engine of scientific innovation in equal measure. While the next frontier of science will lean into alternative systems like organoids and digital models, whether we ever move entirely away from animal models is less certain.