Levy, Michael G.
Professor

Research Associate-Parasitology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 1978-1979
Research Fellow, Parasitology, Harvard University, Boston, 1975-1978
Ph.D., Parasitology, Rice University, Houston, 1975
B.A., Biology, SUNY College at Buffalo, 1972

Phone: 919-513-8289(office), 919-513-8290(lab)
Fax: 919-515-3044
Research Building, Room 456, Lab 462B
Email: Mike_Levy@ncsu.edu

Professional Experience

1975-1978		Research Fellow in Tropical Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health , Boston, MA.
1978-1979		Research Associate, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Urbana, IL.
1979-1984		Assistant Professor, Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Urbana, IL.
1984-1991		Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Pathology, & Parasitology, North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC.
1991-2002		Professor, Department of Microbiology, Pathology and Parasitology, North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC.
2002-present		Professor, Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC

Professional Honors
Sigma Iota Rho - International Studies Honor Society
Phi Zeta
Fellow, Morris Animal Foundation

Professional Teaching
Veterinary Parasitology
Immunoparasitology
Advances in Small Animal Parasitology
Advances in Large Animal and Equine Parasitology

Professional Service

• Co-Director - North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine Vector Borne Disease Diagnostic Laboratories (VBDDL) - Serologic and molecular diagnosis of vector-borne and misc. parasitic infections of animals. Includes Babesia, Ehrlichia, Leishmania and Tritichomonas.
• Developer of in vitro culture for Babesia biovis (US and foreign patents)
and canine monocytic cell lines - NCSU
• Developer of canine monocytic cell lines (NCSU intellectual property)
• Extensive experience with university/industry cooperative interactions
• Primary authorship of multiple articles in Science and Nature
• Review Editor - Diseases of Aquatic Organisms

International Experience

• Veterinary International Programs coordinator for Asia/Pacific
• Consultant to Pan American Health Organization, Consultant to Animal Health in Surinam, S.A.
• Participant in Farmer to Farmer Program, Taeniasis and other parasite diseases of pigs Bolivia, S.A.

Selected Publications - Since 2001
Levy MG, Gookin JL, Poore MF, Litaker RW and Dykstra M. Information on parasitic gastrointestinal tract infections in cats, 2001, JAVMA 218:194-195.

Levy MG, Gookin JL, Poore MF, Dykstra M, Litaker RW. Tritrichomonas foetus and not Pentatrichomonas hominis is the causative agent of the recently described feline intestinal trichomonosis. J Vet Intern Med 2001; 15:315.

Gaskin AA, Schantz P, Jackson J, Birkenheur A, Tomlinson L, Gramiccia, Levy MG, Steuer F, Kollmar E, Hegarty B, Ahn A, Breitschwerdt EB 2002. Visceral leishmaniasis in a New York Foxhound Kennel J Vet Int Med 2002. 16: 34-44.

Gookin JL, Birkenheuer AJ, Breitschwerdt EB, Levy MG. Single-tube nested PCR for diagnosis of Tritrichomonas foetus in feline feces. J Clin Micro 2002; 40:4126-4130.

Levy MG, Flowers JR, Poore MF, Mullen JE, Khoo L, Pote LM, Paperna I, Dzikowski R and Litaker RW. Morphologic, pathologic, and genetic Investigations of Bolbophorus spp. affecting cultured channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, in the Mississippi Delta. 2002. J Aquatic Animal Hlth 14:235-426.

Levy MG, Gookin JL, Poore MF, Birkenheur AJ, Dykstra MJ and Litaker RW. Tritrichomonas foetus and not Pentatrichomonas hominis is the etiologic agent of feline trichomonal diarrhea. 2003. Journal of Parasitology. 89: 99-104.

Birkenheuer AJ, Levy MG, and EB Breitschwerdt. Development and evaluation of a semi-nested PCR for the detection and differentiation of Babesia gibsoni (Asian genotype) and Babesia canis DNA in canine blood samples. J Clin Micro 2003. 41: 4172-4177.

Dzikowski R, Levy MG, Poore MF, Flowers JR, Paperna I. Genetic and morphologic differentiation of Bolbophorus confusus and B. levantinus (Digenea: Diplostomatidae), based on rDNA ssu polymorphism and SEM. 2003. Dis Aquat Org. 57: 231-235.

Gookin JL, Foster DM, Poore, MF, Stebbins ME, Levy MG. Use of a commercially available culture system for diagnosis of Tritrichomonas foetus infection cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2003. 222:1-4.

Dzikowski R, Levy MG, Poore MF, Flowers JR, Paperna I. Use of rDNA polymorphism for identification of Heterophyidae infecting freshwater fishes. Dis Aquat Org. 2004. 59: 35-41.

Foster DM, Gookin JL, Poore MF, Stebbins ME and MG Levy. Outcome of cats with diarrhea and Tritrichomonas foetus. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2004. 225: 888-892.

Birkenheuer AJ, Levy MG, Breitschwerdt EB.Efficacy of combined atovaquone and azithromycin for therapy of chronic Babesia gibsoni (Asian genotype) infections in dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2004 18(4):494-8.

Flowers JR, Poore MF, Mullen JE and Levy MG. Digeneans collected from picivorous birds in North Carolina, USA. Comp. Parasit 2004 71:243-244.

Gookin JL, Stebbins ME, Hunt E, Burlone K, Fulton M, Hochel R, Talaat M, Poore M, and Levy MG. Prevalence of and risk factors for Tritrichomonas foetus and Giardia infection. J Clin Micro 2004. 42:2707-2710.

Gookin JL, Birkenheuer AJ, St. John V, Spector M and Levy MG. Molecular Characterization of Trichomonads From Feces Of Dogs With Diarrhea. J Parasitol. 91:939-943.2005

Birkenheuer AJ, Neel J, Ruslander D, Levy MG, Breitschwerdt EB. Detection and molecular characterization of a novel large Babesia species in a dog. Vet Parasitol. 2004. 124(3-4):151-60.

Dzikowski R, Levy MG, Poore MF, Flowers JR, Paperna I. Clinostomum complanatum and Clinostomum marginatum (Rudolphi, 1819) (Digene:Clinostomatidae) are separate species based on differences in rDNA. J. Parasitol 2004. 90:413-414

Flowers JR, Poore MF, Pote LM, Litaker RW and Levy MG. 2005. Cercariae of Bolbophorus damnificus and Bolbophorus sp. with Notes on North American Bolbophorids. Comp. Parasitol. 2005. 72(2), 220-226.

Levy MG, Noga EJ. Controlling parasitic dinoflagellates of fish, with special emphasis on molecular genetics and immunity. Acta Zoologica Sinica. 2005 51(4) 550-553.

Bakal RS, Hickson BH, Gilger, BC, Levy MG, Flowers JR, Khoo L. Surgical removal of cataracts due to Diplostomum species in Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi). J Zoo Wildlife Med. 2005 36(3) 504-508.

Birkenheuer AJ, MT Correa, MG Levy, EB Breitschwerdt: Geographic distribution of babesiosis among dogs in the United States and association with dog bites: 150 cases (2000-2003). J Am Vet Med Assoc2005 227(6): 942-947.

Schantz PM, FJ Steurer, ZH Duprey, KP Kurpel, SC Barr, JE Jackson, EB Breitschwerdt, MG Levy, JC Fox. Autochthonous visceral leishmaniasis in dogs in North America. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2006. 226(8):1316-1322.

Noga EJ, Levy MG. Phylum Dinoflagellata. In: Fish Diseases and Disorders, Vol 1, Protozoan and Metazoan Infections 2nd ed Woo PTK (ed) , CABI, Oxford, UK 2006. 16-45.

Birkenheuer AJ, Le J, Valezisi A, Levy MG and Breitschwerdt EB. Cytauxzoon felis infection in cats in the Mid-Atlantic United States: 34 cases (1998-2004). J Am Vet Med Assoc.2006 2285:568-571.

Birkenheuer AJ, Marr H, Alleman AR, Levy MG and Breitschwerdt EB. Development and evaluation of a PCR assay for the detection of Cytauxzoon felis DNA in feline blood samples. Vet Parasitol.2006 137:144-149.

Mitchell AJ, Goodwin AE, Levy MG. Bolbophorus infections in cultured Fathead minnows. J Aquatic Animal Hlth. In Press

Gookin JL, Birkenhueur A, St. John V, Spector M, and Levy M. Molecular characterization of trichomonads from feces of dogs with diarrhea. J Parasitol. In Press.

Gookin, JL, Copple CN, Papich MG, Poore M, Stauffer SH, Birkenheuer AJ, Twedt DC, and Levy MG. Efficacy of ronidazole for treatment of feline Tritrichomonas foetus infection. J Vet Intern Med. In Press.

Laboratory Foci

• Application of molecular technologies for detection of pathogens in the environment
• Development of treatment protocols for parasitic infections
• Prevalence of parasites in food animal species (cattle, sheep), with emphasis on drug resistance in conventionally raised animals and efficacy of natural anti-parasiticides used with organic meat production.
• Vector borne disease diagnostics, diagnosis and control of parasitic and mycotic diseases of aquatic organisms, including those with zoonotic potential, development of diagnostic reagents and chemo and immunoprophylactic strategies.
• Detection and Chemotherapy of the emerging frog pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Graduate Student
Sarah Billiter -- CBS-PhD candidate
Investigating Bartonella transmission by ticks.