Microbiomes associated with avian malaria survival differ between susceptible Hawaiian honeycreepers and sympatric malaria-resistant introduced birds

Of the estimated 55 Hawaiian honeycreepers only 17 species remain, 9 of which are considered endangered by the IUCN. Among the most pressing threats to honeycreeper survival is the introduced disease avian malaria. Research on mammals has revealed strong connections between gut microbiome composition and malaria susceptibility, illuminating a potential novel conservation strategy using antimalarial probiotics. One honeycreeper species, the Hawai'i 'amakihi, persists in some areas of high malaria prevalence, indicating they have acquired some level of immunity. To investigate if avian host specific microbes may be associated with malaria survival, we characterized cloacal microbiomes and malaria infection for 'amakihi and malaria-resistant warbling white-eyes from Hawai'i Island using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and qPCR.