TEACHING In the spring, I teach a 3-credit course, WILD 5100/7100 Wildlife Disease Ecology and Management, that focuses on the  natural history of common diseases of wildlife, including those that are at the interface of wildlife/domestic animals/humans.  In May, I teach a 2-credit course on field techniques, WILD 4600/6600 - Field Methods in Wildlife Health Management, and Research. In the fall, I co-teach Veterinary Parasitology (IDIS 5200 and 5200L) with other faculty members in the Department of Infectious Diseases at the UGA's College of Veterinary Medicine.  I also give guest lectures in Natural Resources Management, Wildlife Techniques, and Biodiversity and Conservation at Warnell and Veterinary Epidemiology at the Vet School..

Michael J. Yabsley, MS, PhD Assistant Professor myabsley@uga.edu (706) 542-1741 I am an assistant professor of Wildlife Disease Ecology.  I have a split appointment between the wildlife ecology and management program within the D. B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS) in the Department of Population Health in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Graduate Students Veterinary and Undergraduate Student Researchers Graduate Student Alumni

RESEARCH My research interests are varied and encompass a variety of wildlife diseases, especically those that are zoonotic and/or vector-borne.  Recent projects include: Role of white-tailed deer in natural history of tick-borne pathogens (Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Borrelia), characterization of Trypanosoma cruzi from wildlife reservoirs, molecular characterization of Babesia and Theileria species from wildlife hosts, phylogenetics of coccidia, effects of prescribed fire on tick populations in Southwest Georgia, prevalence of chytrid fungus in amphibians, persistence of avian influenza viruses in the environment, annd prevalence and distribution of Baylisascaris procyonis in Georgia

Education:

B.S.    1997     Biological Scienes (major), Wildlife Biology (minor)      Clemson University, Clemson, SC
M.S.   2000     Zoology (parasitology)                                                 Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Ph.D.  2004     Veterinary Parasitology                                                University of Georgia, Athens, GA

Recent Publications

2008

• Roellig, DM, AE Ellis, and MJ Yabsley.  Oral transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi with opposing evidence for the theory of carnivory in the sylvatic cycle.  Journal of Parasitology (in press).
• Lindström, K, O Dolnik, MJ Yabsley, O Hellgren, B O’Connor, H Pärn, and J Foufopoulos.  Feather mites and internal parasites in small ground finches (Geospiza fuliginosa) on the Galapagos Islands.  Journal of Parasitology (in press)
  Yabsley, MJ, AE Ellis, DE Stallknecht, and EW Howerth.  High diversity of Sarcocystis from hawks from Georgia. Journal of Parasitology (in press).
• Gerhold RW, MJ Yabsley, AJ Smith, E Ostergaard, W Mannan, J Cann, and JR Fischer. 2008. Identification of Trichomonas vaginalis-like cryptic species in the Trichomonas gallinae morphologic complex.  Journal of Parasitology. (in press)
• Yabsley, MJ, AE Ellis, DE Stallknecht, and EW Howerth.  High diversity of Sarcocystis from hawks from Georgia. Journal of Parasitology (in press)
  
• Hernandez-Divers, SM, P Villegas, C Jimenez, SJ Hernandez-Divers, M Garcia, SM Riblet, R Carroll, BM OConnor,  JL Webb, MJ Yabsley, SM Williams and S Sanchez.  2008. Backyard chicken flocks pose a disease risk for neotropical birds.  Avian Diseases. (in press).
• Waters, WR, BJ Nonnecke, SEJ Gibbs, MJ Yabsley, SM Schmitt, MK Cosgrove, MV Palmer, TC Thacker, SC Olsen, RL Horst, and TA Reinhardt.  Serum 25-hydroxvitamin D concentrations in captive and free-ranging, white-tailed deer (Odocoilieus virginianus).  International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research (in press)
• Roellig, DM, C Barnabé, M Tibayrenc, Steurer FJ, and MJ Yabsley. 2008. Molecular typing of Trypanosoma cruzi isolates, United States.  Emerging Infectious Diseases 14:1123-1125. (Free online: http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/14/7/1123.htm)
• Yabsley MJ, SM Murphy, MP Luttrell, BR Wilcox, EW Howerth, and UG Munderloh.  2008. Characterization of “Candidatus Neoehrlichia lotoris” (Family Anaplasmatacae) from raccoons (Procyon lotor).  International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. (in press)
<>Yabsley, MJ, SM Murphy, MP Luttrell, BR Wilcox, and C. Ruckdeschel.  2008. Raccoons (Procyon lotor), but not rodents, are natural and experimental hosts for and ehrlichial agent related to “Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis”.  Veterinary Microbiology. (in press)

• Loftis, AD, TR Mixson, EY Stromdahl, MJ Yabsley, LE Garrison, PC Williamson, RR Fitak, PA Fuerst, DJ Kelly, and KW Blount.  2008.  Geographic distribution and genetic diversity of the Ehrlichia sp. from Panola Mountain in Amblyomma americanum. BMC Infectious Diseases 8:54.  (Free online: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/8/54)
• Wimberly, MC, AD Baer, and MJ Yabsley. 2008. Enhancing predictive models of tick-borne pathogens by incorporating spatial autocorrelation and spatial heterogeneity. International Journal of Health Geographics 7:15 (Free online: http://www.ij-healthgeographics.com/content/7/1/15)
• Apperson, CS, B Engber, WN Nicholson, DG Mead, J Engel, MJ Yabsley, K Dail, J Jonson, and DW Watson.  2008. Tick-borne diseases in North Carolina: Is “Rickettsia amblyomii” a possible cause of rickettsiosis reported as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever?  Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases.  (in press)
• Yabsley MJ, AD Loftis, and SE Little. 2008. Detection of an Ehrlichia sp. that is closely related to Ehrlichia ruminantium in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).  Journal of Wildlife Diseases 44:381-387.
• Yabsley, MJ, SM Murphy, MP Luttrell, SE Little, RF Massung, DE Stallknecht, LA Conti, CGM Blackmore, and LA Durden. 2008. Experimental and field studies on the suitability of raccoons (Procyon lotor) as hosts for tick-borne pathogens.  Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases (in press).
• Wimberly, MC, MJ Yabsley, AD Baer, VG Dugan, and WR Davidson.  2008.  Spatial heterogeneity of climate and land cover constraints on distributions of tick-borne pathogens.  Global Ecology and Biogeography 17:1-14.
• Yabsley MJ, J McKibben, CN Macpherson, PF Cattan, NA Cherry, EB Breitschwerdt, T O’Connor, C Ramaswamy, T Patterson, M Lanza Perea, G Ball, S Friesen, J Goedde, B Henderson, and W Sylvester. 2008. Prevalence of Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, Babesia canis vogeli, Hepatozoon canis, Bartonella vinsonii berkhoffii, and Rickettsia in dogs from Grenada. Veterinary Parasitology 151:279-285.

• Gerhold, RW and MJ Yabsley.  2007. Toxoplasmosis in a red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus).   Avian Diseases 51:992-994. 
• Manangan, JS, SH Schweitzer  N Nibbelink MJ Yabsley, SEJ Gibbs, and MC Wimberly. 2007.  Habitat factors influencing distributions of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia chaffeensis in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley.  Vector Borne Zoonotic Diseases 7:563-574.
• Davis, AK, MJ Yabsley, MK Keel, and JC Maerz.  2007.  Discovery of a novel alveolate pathogen affecting southern leopard frogs in Georgia: Description of the disease and host effects.  EcoHealth 4:310-317.
• Munderloh, UG, MJ Yabsley, SM Murphy, MP Luttrel and EW Howerth. 2007. Isolation and establishment of the raccoon Ehrlichia-like agent in tick cell culture.  Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 7:418-425.
• Dorn, PL, L Perniciaro, MJ Yabsley, DM Roellig, G Balsamo, J Diaz, and D Wesson. 2007.  Autochthonous transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi, Louisiana.  Emerging Infectious Diseases 13:605-7.   (Free online: http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/13/4/605.htm).
• Yamasaki, M., H. Inokuma, C Sugimoto, SE Shaw, M Aktas, MJ Yabsley, O Yamato and Y Maede.  2007.  Comparison and phylogenetic analysis of the heat shock protein 70 gene of Babesia parasites from dogs.  Veterinary Parasitology 145:217-227.
• Wilcox, BR, MJ Yabsley, AE Ellis, DE Stallknecht and SEJ Gibbs.  2007.  West Nile virus antibody detection and persistence in American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and fish crows (Corvus ossifragus).  Avian Diseases 51:125-128. 
• Paddock, CD and MJ Yabsley.  2007.  Ecological havoc, the rise of white-tailed deer, and the unveiling of Amblyomma americanum-associated zoonoses in the United States.  Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology 315:289-324.
• Harvey, JW, MR Dunbar, TM Norton, and MJ Yabsley.  2007. Laboratory findings in acute Cytauxzoon felis infection in cougars (Puma concolor) in Florida.  Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 38:285-291.
• Hall, CA, C Polizzi, MJ Yabsley, and TM Norton. 2007. Trypanosoma cruzi prevalence and epidemiologic trends in lemurs on St. Catherines Island, Georgia, USA.  Journal of Parasitology 93:93-6.
• Labruna, Marcelo B., Jere W. McBride, Luis Marcelo A. Camargo, Daniel M. Aguiar, Michael J. Yabsley, William R. Davidson, Ellen Y. Stromdahl, Phillip C. Williamson, Roger W. Stich, S. Wesley Long, Erney P. Camargo, and David H. Walker.  2007.  A preliminary investigation of Ehrlichia species in ticks, humans, dogs, and capybaras from Brazil. Veterinary Parasitology 143:189-195.
• Yabsley, MJ , CN Wetch, SM Mitchell, TM Norton, and DS Lindsay.  2007.  Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii, Sarcocystis neurona, and Encephalitazoon cuniculi in three species of lemurs from St. Catherines Island, Georgia. Veterinary Parasitology 144:28-32.
• Paddock, Christopher D. and Michael J. Yabsley.  2007.  Ecological havoc, the rise of white-tailed deer, and the unveiling of Amblyomma americanum-associated zoonoses in the United States.  In: CTMI vol. on Wildlife and Emerging Zoonotic Diseases: The Biology, Circumstances, and Consequences of Cross-Species Transmission. J. Mackenzie (Editor).  Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology 315:289-324.

• Brown, JD, MK Keel, MJ Yabsley, T Thigpen, and JC Maerz.  2006.  Clinical challenge. Skin – multifocal histiocytic dermatitis with intralesional trombiculid mites.  Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 37:571-573.
• Dugan, VG, MJ Yabsley, CM Tate, DG Mead, UG Munderloh, MJ Herron, DE Stallknecht, SE Little, and WR Davidson.  2006.  Evaluation of a prototype Anaplasma phagocytohilum surveillance system using white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) as natural sentinels.  Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 6:197-212.
• Yabsley, MJ, SM Murphy†, and MW Cunningham. 2006.  Molecular detection and characterization of Cytauxzoon felis and a novel Babesia species in cougars (Puma concolor) from Florida.  Journal of Wildlife Diseases 42:366-374.
  
• Yabsley, Michael J., Janean Romines, and Victor F. Nettles.  2006. Detection of Babesia and Anaplasma species in rabbits from Texas and Georgia, USA.  Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases  6:7-13.
• Gibbs, Samantha E. J., Andrew B. Allison, Michael J. Yabsley, and David E. Stallknecht.  2006. West Nile virus antibodies in avian species of Georgia, USA: 2000-2004.  Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 6:57-72.
• Gibbs, Samantha E. J., Michael C. Wimberly, Marguerite Madden, Janna Masour, Michael J. Yabsley, David E. Stallknecht.  2006. Factors affecting the geographic distribution of West Nile virus in Georgia, USA: 2002-2004.  Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 6:73-82.
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• Yabsley, Michael J. and Samantha E.J. Gibbs.  2006.  Description and phylogeny of a new species of Eimeria from double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) near Fort Gaines, Georgia.  Journal of Parasitology 92:385-388.
  
• Yabsley, Michael J., Thierry M. Work, and Robert A. Rameyer.  2006.  Molecular phylogeny of Babesia poelea from brown boobies (Sula leucogaster) from Johnston Atoll, Central Pacific.  Journal of Parasitology  92:423-425.
  

• Yabsley, Michael J., Tracie C. Quick, and Susan E. Little.  2005.  Theileriosis in a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawn.  Journal of Wildlife Diseases 41:806-809.
• Yabsley, Michael J., William R. Davidson, David E. Stallknecht, Andrea S. Varela, Pamela K. Swift, James C. deVos, Jr., and Shelli A. Dubay.  2005.  Evidence of tick-borne organisms in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) from the western United States.  Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 5:351-362.
  
• Yabsley, Michael J.  2005.  Emerging tick-borne diseases: Recent advances and the role of wildlife.  In:  The American College of Veterinary Pathologists and The American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology Conference Proceedings.  Pp 33-33.
  
• Yabsley, MJ, MC Wimberly, DE Stallknecht, SE Little, and WR Davidson.  2005. Spatial analysis of the distribution of Ehrlichia chaffeensis, causative agent of human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis, across a multi-state region.  American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 72:840-850.
• Yabsley, MJ and SEJ Gibbs.  2005.  Parasitic and Infectious Diseases of Small Mammals.  in S.K. Majumdar, J. Huffman, F.J. Brenner, and A.I. Panah, editors.  Wildlife Diseases:  Landscape Epidemiology, Spatial Distribution and Utilization of Remote Sensing Technology. Pennsylvania Academy of Sciences pp. 345-373.
• Varela, AS, DE Stallknecht, MJ Yabsley, VA Moore IV, EW Howerth, WR Davidson, and SE Little.  2005.  Primary and secondary infection with Ehrlichia chaffeensis in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases 5:48-57.

• Yabsley, MJ, TM Norton, MR Powell, and WR Davidson. 2004.  Molecular and serologic evidence of multiple tick-borne pathogens in free-ranging lemurs from St. Catherine’s Island, Georgia.  Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 35:503-509.
• Yabsley, MJ, C Dresden-Osborne, EE Pirkle, JK Kirven, and GP Noblet.  2004.  Filarial worm infections in shelter dogs and cats from northwestern South Carolina, U.S.A.  Comparative Parasitology 71:154-157.
• Flacke, GL, MJ  Yabsley, BA Hanson, and DE Stallknecht.  2004.  Hemorrhagic disease in Kansas: enzootic stability meets epizootic disease.  Journal of Wildlife Diseases 40:288-293.

• Yabsley, MJ,  VG Dugan, DE Stallknecht, SE Little, JM Lockhart, JE Dawson, and WR Davidson.  2003.  Evaluation of a prototype Ehrlichia chaffeensis surveillance system using white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) as natural sentinels.  Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 3:195:207.   [PDF Reprint]
• Varela, AS, DE Stallknecht, MJ Yabsley, VA Moore, WR Davidson, and SE Little.  2003.  experimental infection of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with Ehrlichia chaffeensis by different inoculation routes.  Journal of Wildlife Diseases 39:881-886.
• Yabsley, M.J., S.E. Little, E. J. Sims, V.G. Dugan, D.E. Stallknecht, and W.R. Davidson.  2003.  Molecular variation in the variable-length PCR target and 120-kilodalton antigen genes of Ehrlichia chaffeensis from white-tailed deer.  Journal of Clinical Microbiology  41:5202-5206.   [PDF Reprint]
  
• Sumner, J. W., M. J. Yabsley, M. Q. Arens, G. Buenning, G. A. Storch, and W. R. Davidson.  2003.  Determination of white-tailed deer agent groESL operon sequences for pylogenetic and diagnostic applications.  Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 990:699-700.   [PDF Reprint]
• Moore, V.A., A.S. Varela, M.J. Yabsley, W.R. Davidson, and S.E. Little.  2003.  Detection of Borrelia lonestari, putative causative agent of Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness, in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from the southeastern United States.  Journal of Clinical Microbiology 41:424-427.  [Medline abstract]  [PDF reprint] 
  

• Yabsley, M.J., N.L. Gottdenker, and J.R. Fischer.  2002.  Description of a new Eimeria species and associated lesions in the kidneys of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus).  Journal of Parasitology 88:989-993. [Medline abstract] [PDF reprint]   
• Yabsley, M.J. and G.P. Noblet.  2002.  Biological and molecular characterization of a raccoon-isolate of Trypanosoma cruzi from South Carolina.  Journal of Parasitology 88:1230-1233. [Medline abstract]  [PDF reprint]  
• James, M. J., M. J. Yabsley, O. J. Pung, and M. J. Grijalva.  2002.  Amplification of Trypanosoma cruzi-specific DNA sequences in formalin-fixed raccoon tissues using polymerase chain reaction.  Journal of Parasitology 88:989-993.  [PDF reprint] 
• Yabsley, M. J., A. S. Varela, C. M. Tate, V. G. Dugan, D. E. Stallknecht, S. E. Little, and W. R. Davidson.  2002.  Ehrlichia ewingii infection in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).  Emerging Infectious Diseases 8:668-671.  [Full online text]  [PDF reprint]   
• Yabsley, M. J. and G. P. Noblet.  2002.  Seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi in raccoons from South Carolina and Georgia.  Journal of Wildlife Disease 38:75-83. [Medline abstract]
  

•  Yabsley, M. J., G. P. Noblet, and O. J. Pung.  2001.  Comparison of serological methods and blood culture for detection of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in raccoons (Procyon lotor).  Journal of Parasitology 87:1155-1159. [Medline abstract]  [PDF reprint]  
• Noblet, G. P. and M. J. Yabsley.  2000.  The Good and the Bad: Symbiosis in the Animal Kingdom.  In Tested Studies for Laboratory Teaching. Proceedings of the 22nd Workshop/Conference of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE) 22: 120-155. [Abstract]  
• Yabsley, M. J., G. P. Noblet, and O. J. Pung.  1999.  Use of the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and blood culture to detect Trypanosoma cruzi infections in raccoons from Georgia.  International Virtual Conference on Veterinarian Medicine – Diseases of Exotic Animals and Wildlife, November 15-30, 1999. [Full online text]  
• Yabsley, M. J. and G. P. Noblet.  1999.  Nematodes and Acanthocephalans of raccoons (Procyon lotor), with a new geographical record for Centrorhynchus conspectus (Acanthocephala) in South Carolina, U.S.A.  Journal of the Helminthological Society of Washington 66: 111-114.