Research overview: disease susceptibility of cheetahs in captivity

Captive cheetahs experience a striking array of diseases rarely seen at such rates in other felids, including Helicobacter gastritis, kidney disease, and severe coronavirus outbreaks. This overview surveys the disease profile of captive cheetahs, the leading explanation rooted in the species’ minimal genetic diversity and exaggerated stress responses, and the role of captive conditions in amplifying these conditions relative to free-ranging populations. It examines how immunogenetic uniformity, chronic stress and husbandry interact to produce poor health, and the management strategies developed in response. The synthesis connects conservation genetics, physiology and veterinary medicine. It aims to help readers understand why the cheetah is a recurring case study in disease vulnerability, and how its uniquely uniform genome translates into heightened susceptibility across a spectrum of infectious and non-infectious diseases.