UC Davis experts: Avian influenza

The following UC Davis faculty members have expertise regarding avian influenza and related influenza viruses in humans, poultry, wildlife and other animals. With its research and clinical strengths in medicine, veterinary medicine and agriculture, the campus is taking a lead role in helping to prevent and prepare for a possible outbreak of avian influenza in California.

Human health

• Infectious disease outbreak planning
• Emergency preparedness for influenza pandemics
• Emergency response to an influenza outbreak

Historical of outbreaks

• Epidemics in context

Animal health and research

• Avian influenza in poultry
• Avian influenza in wild birds
• Influenza research in mice
• Diagnosing influenza viruses

HUMAN MEDICINE

Infectious disease outbreak planning

Christian Sandrock, a physician and an expert in infectious diseases, and pulmonary and critical care medicine at the UC Davis Medical Center, specializes in disaster preparedness, emerging infectious diseases, terrorism and other threats to public health. As medical director of the California Preparedness Education Network, he develops educational materials, primarily for providers in rural, border, inner-city and underserved areas of the state. He was medical director of the Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Program for the state of California and currently, as medical adviser to the state Emergency Medical Services Authority, he contributes his expertise to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Program, and many other Homeland Security projects. He is working with the California Department of Health Services and the Emergency Medical Services Authority in pandemic influenza and other infectious disease outbreak planning, disease surveillance and hospital infection-control preparedness. Contact: Christian Sandrock, UC Davis Medical Center, (916) 734-3564, cesandrock@ucdavis.edu.

Emergency preparedness for influenza pandemics

Warner Hudson, a clinical faculty member in family practice and occupational medicine at UC Davis Medical Center, is an expert on the public health aspects of emergency preparedness, particularly in the area of influenza pandemics and other threats from infectious diseases. He also is a member of the California Department of Health Services Joint Advisory Committee on Public Health Emergency Preparedness. He has been an adviser and panelist on public health aspects of emergency preparedness for both the Little Hoover Commission and RAND. Hudson also is a peer reviewer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's national pandemic influenza preparedness plan, a member of the California influenza vaccine/antiviral prioritization task team, and a member of the California healthcare-associated infection task force. He chairs the California Medical Association's Council on Scientific Affairs Committee on Occupational Medicine. Contact: Warner Hudson, UC Davis Medical Center, (916) 939-5580, whudson@dstoutput.com.

Emergency response to an influenza outbreak

Steven Tharratt, a UC Davis Medical Center pulmonary and critical care specialist, is a national authority on emergency preparedness and response to catastrophic events, including floods and bioterrorist acts. He is also medical director for Sacramento County Emergency Medical Services and all Sacramento city and county fire agencies. He is a member of the state's Standing Committee on Terrorism, the Northern California FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and the California State Threat Assessment Team. Tharratt was one of two physicians deployed to the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, with the Sacramento Urban Search and Rescue Team. Contact: David Ong, UC Davis Health System Public Affairs, (916) 762-5331 (pager), daong@ucdavis.edu.

HISTORY OF OUTBREAKS

Epidemics in context

UC Davis historian Catherine Kudlick can talk about how people have responded to epidemics in the past, looking at politics, social interactions, etc. Kudlick says that the very word "epidemic" itself invites people to jump to exaggerated conclusions. At the same time, she believes it is just a matter of time before a new strain of influenza arrives -- such as bird flu -- that will spread very quickly and devastate the population. She wrote "Cholera in Post-Revolutionary Paris: A Cultural History," which talked about how the Europeans responded to a major cholera epidemic in the early 19th century. Contact:  Catherine Kudlick, History,  (530) 752-2232, cjkudlick@ucdavis.edu.

ANIMAL HEALTH AND RESEARCH

Avian influenza in poultry

Carol Cardona, a Cooperative Extension poultry veterinarian and associate professor, can provide an overview of the history of avian influenza in poultry worldwide and discuss the current threat of avian influenza to commercial and backyard poultry operations. Cardona is part of a network of researchers nationwide providing education about avian influenza. She works with large commercial poultry producers as well as small poultry operations to provide basic information on how to recognize and prevent spread of the disease. Her laboratory also conducts research on avian influenza viruses focusing on the disease caused in chickens and the response of the host to infections. Contact: Carol Cardona, School of Veterinary Medicine, (530) 754-5041, cjcardona@ucdavis.edu.

Avian influenza in wild birds

Walter Boyce and Jonna Mazet, co-directors of the Wildlife Health Center in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, are experts in disease transmission among wild birds and other wild animals. Either can discuss the threat avian influenza virus poses to California wild birds, especially waterfowl, and their research programs to test wild birds for avian influenza viruses. Contact: Walter Boyce, Wildlife Health Center, (530) 752-1401, wmboyce@ucdavis.edu; Jonna Mazet, Wildlife Health Center, (530) 754-9035, jkmazet@ucdavis.edu.

Influenza research in mice

Nicole Baumgarth, an associate professor at UC Davis' Center for Comparative Medicine, is a cellular immunologist who studies immunity to viruses, particularly influenza viruses, in mice. Her work could lead to novel designs for influenza vaccines. Her research uses infectious-disease models to identify and characterize the basic mechanisms that regulate immune responses. She is particularly interested in a group of cells, known as "B cells," that produce a powerful immune defense response against influenza in mice. Contact: Nicole Baumgarth, Center for Comparative Medicine, (530) 754-5813, nbaumgarth@ucdavis.edu.

Diagnosing influenza viruses

Sharon Hietala, a professor at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, headquartered at UC Davis, is an expert in clinical immunology and diagnostic techniques for infectious diseases in animals. She can discuss the various strains of influenza and the influenza surveillance, detection and diagnostic programs for animals in California. Contact: Sharon Hietala, California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, (530) 752-4739, skhietala@ucdavis.edu.

Top of page