Correa, Maria, MSc, PhD
Associate Professor

Practicante de Veterinaria, Veterinary Medicine, State University of Uruguay, 1983
M.Sc., Epidemiology, Cornell University, 1988
Ph.D., Epidemiology, Cornell University, 1991

Phone: 919 513 6253
FAX : 919 829 4455
E-mail: maria_correa@ncsu.edu
Personal Home Page: http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/users/c/correa/public/index.html

Expertise and Research Interests

My main research interest and expertise is in veterinary public health epidemiology of zoonosis. My approach is holistic: I combine in my work methodologies from epidemiology, anthropology, statistics, and veterinary medicine.Current and planned research projects include a survey to assess the prevalence of zoonotic diseases and risk of zoonotic disease transmission for the migrant and rural poor in North Carolina. Epidemiological and anthropological information on people's understanding of illness and health is being considered. Knowledge of disease transmission and prevention, and factors that limit the target group's access to Western medicine or public health information, is also being evaluated (eg, use of alternative medicine, socio-cultural understanding of disease, immigration status, isolation of the community). Concomitantly, I am developing a series of educational videos and booklets on rabies for animal controllers and on zoonotic diseases for the migrant and ruralpoor population in North Carolina.Together with my graduate students I have been working on two interesting public health and epidemiology projects. One project is on pre-harvest food safety: evaluation of the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of rapid methods for salmonellae detection versus the standard plating technique for environmental samples of broiler houses (drag swabs). This project is being conducted with support from Southeastern Poultry and Egg Association and the manufacturers of 3 test kits for salmonellae detection on food products. The other project is a survey of pet-ownership as a risk factor for zoonotic diseases in HIV-infected persons. We are collaborating with the Duke University Medical Center Infectious Diseases Clinic. Planned is the creation of a network of volunteers that could offer pet-related services (eg, pet food delivery, grooming) to HIV/AIDS persons at their place or residence, following the model of other groups across the US.

Other Expertise

Academic Experience:Honors and Awards:Faculty Appreciation Award, Student Government, NCSU, 1994-1995Committee Membership:Awards and Scholarship Committee, CVM-1994-present;Combined Campaign Department Team Captain, AC 1995-96;Open House Committee, CVM - 1993-1995;Summer Workshop Committee, CVM-1993;Dean's Diversity Task Force, CVM-1993;Academic Integrity, ad-hoc Committee, NCSU-1993;Advisor for Student International Club, CVM-1993-present;Judicial Board, Department of Student Development, NCSU-1992-present;International Program and WHO Center, CVM-1991-1995Ad-hoc reviewer:Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association;American Journal of Veterinary Research;Theriogenology;USDA-National Research Initiative-Food

SafetyBusiness Experience:Consultancies:Statistical consultancies with INTERVET America Inc. Laboratory--AKZO, survival analysis, approval FDA;Statistical consultancies with Hoechst Laboratory, survival analysis, approval FDA;Animal Control Rabies Management, Animal Control, NCBoard Membership:AgromedicineMedia Experience:"North Carolina Now", PBS TV program, Rabies (first program), July 1996;"North Carolina Now", PBS TV program, Rabies (second program), July 1996;North Carolina State University Bulletin, Rabies studies, Fall 1996;Raleigh Extra, weekly newspaper, interview, Rabies transmission, January 1997

Languages

Scale: 1 (basic) to 3 (fluent)
Reading, Writing, Speaking:
Spanish : (3, 3, 3)
Portuguese : (2, 1, )
Italian : (1, 1, 1)

Memberships

American College of Epidemiology
American Public Health Association
American Veterinary History Society
Association of Teachers of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine
North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association
Phi Zeta Veterinary Honorary Society

Previous Positions

1991-1993, North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine, Instructor of Epidemiology and Public Health

1982-1984, State University of Uruguay, Instructor of Biophysics, Physiology Department

Funding Received

Associations between pet ownership and opportunistic infections in HIV-infected persons, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, $6,923, July, 1996-December, 1997

Establishment of Collaborative Linkages Between North Carolina State University, the University of Costa Rica and the National University of Costa Rica, United States Agency for International Development, $500,000, July, 1993-June, 1998

Publications

Rivas, A.L., Correa, M., Memom, M., et al., Functions of veterinary colleges and orientations of professional practice in the Americas, JAVMA, Vol. 208, No. 10:1630-1635, 1996

Rivas, A.L., Correa, M., Memom, M., et al.,2. Organizational models of veterinary colleges in the Americas, JAVMA, Vol. 208, No.10:1630-1635, 1996

Finkler, K., Correa, M., Factors influencing patient recovery, Social Science and Medicine, Vol. 42:2, 199-207, 1996

Weinstock D; Correa MT; Rives DV; Wages DP. Histopathology and epidemiology of condemnations due to squamous cell carcinoma in broiler chickens in North Carolina.. Avian Dis. 39(4): 676-86, Oct 1995 [Abstract]

Correa, M., Anderson, K., Stevens, J., et al., Jobs in International Veterinary Medicine: a survey of requirements and opportunities for American Veterinary Students and post-graduate Veterinarians, Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, Vol. 22, 1:25-29, 1995

Weinstock, D., Correa, M., Rives, D, and Wages, D.P., Squamous cell carcinoma in broiler chickens: Histopathology and epidemiology, Avian Diseases, 39:676-686, 1995

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