Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center

Associate Professor Poultry Diagnostic Research Center 953 College Station Road Athens, Georgia 30602-4875 706.542.5656 e-mail: mcgarcia@uga.edu

Education:
Ph.D. University of Georgia, Dept. of Medical Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine
M.S. University of Georgia, Dept. of Medical Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine
B.S. University of Puerto Rico, Dept. of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural Science

Current areas of research interests:
The main aspects of research in our laboratory are to improve the diagnosis and control of Infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) and avian influenza. In particular we are interested to identify ILTV proteins involve in viral pathogenicity, spread, and persistence with the objective of design marker vaccines and develop better epidemiological tools to trace viruses in the field. In addition to ILTV we have been active in avian influenza research in the development of new serological assays that allow to monitor and detect influenza infected flocks in the presence of vaccination. Another aspect that we are studying, related to the control of avian influenza and ILTV, is to determine the survivability of these two viruses in poultry litter and in the poultry house environment.

Recent Publications:
Golender N., A. Pashin, Banet-Noach C., S. Nagar, S. Pokamunski, M. Pirak, Y. Tendler, I. Davidson, M. García and S. Perk. Genetic characterization of avian influenza viruses isolated in Israel during 2000 – 2006. Virus Genes. In press.

Hernandez-Driver, S. M., P. Villegas, C. Jimenez, S. J. Hernandez-Driver, M. Garcia, S. M. Riblet, C. R. Carroll, B. M. O’Connor, J. L. Webb, M. J. Yabsley, S. M. Williams, and S. Sanchez. Backyard Chicken Flocks Pose a Disease Risk for Neotropical Birds. Avian Diseases. In Press.

Ziming Z., M. Garcia, K. F. Shortridge, Y. Guan, and X. F.Wan. Genotypic diversity of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses. Journal of General Virology.89:2182-2193,2008.

A. Rodríguez-Avila, I. Oldoni, S. M. Riblet, and M. García. Evaluation of the Protection Elicited by Direct and Indirect Exposure to Live Attenuated Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus (ILTV) Vaccines Against a Recent Challenge Strain from the United States. Avian Pathology. 37 (3): 287-292, 2008.

Oldoni, I., A. Rodríguez-Avila, S. M. Riblet, and M. García. Characterization of Infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV)Isolates from Commercial Poultry by Polymerase Chain Reaction and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism(PCR-RFLP). Avian Diseases. 52: 59-63. 2008.

Rodríguez-Avila, A., I. Oldoni, S. M. Riblet, and M. García. Replication and transmission of live-attenuated Infectiouslaryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) vaccines. Avian diseases. 51:905-911. 2007.

Perk S., C. Banet-Noach, N. Golender, L. Simanov, E. Rozenblut, S. Nagar, S. Pokamunski, M. Pinak, Y. Tendler, M. García, A. Panshin. Molecular characterization of the glycoprotein genes of H5N1 A viruses isoalted from Israel and the Gaza Strip during 2006 outbreaks. Viral Genes. 35(3): 497-502. 2007.

R. Crespo, P. R. Woolcock, R. P. Chin, H. L. Shivaprasad, and M. García. Comparison of Diagnostics Techniquesin an Outbreak of Infectious Laryngotracheitis from Meat Type Chickens. Avian Diseases. 51:858-862. 2007.

Oldoni, I and M. García. Characterization of Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus (ILTV) Isolates from United Statesby Polymerase Chain Reaction and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of Multiple GenomeRegions. Avian Pathology. 36 (2):167 – 176. 2007.

Banet-Noach, C., A. Panshin, N. Golender, L. Simanov, E. Rozenblut, S. Pokamunski, M. Pirak, Y. Tendler, M. García, B. Gelman, R. Pasternak, S. Perk. Genetic Analysis of Nonstructural Genes (NS1 and NS2) of H9N2and H5N1 Viruses Recently Isolated in Israel. Virus Genes. Virus Genes. 34(2): 157-168. 2007.

Callison S. A., S. M. Riblet, I, Oldoni, S. Sun, G. Zavala, S. Williams, R. Resurreccionc, E. Spackman, M. García. Development and validation of a Real-Time Taqman® PCR assay for the detection and quantification of infectious laryngotracheitis virus in poultry. Journal of Virological Methods. 139:31-38. 2007.

Callison, S. A., S. M. Riblet, S. Sun, N. Ikuta, D. Hilt, V. Leiting, S. H. Kleven, D. Suarez, M. Garcia. Development and validation of a Real-Time Taqman PCR assay for the detection of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in naturally infected birds. Avian Dis. Avian Dis. 50:537-544. 2007.

Fadly A., and M. García. Detection of reticuloendotheliosis virus in live virus vaccines of poultry. Dev Biol. 126: 301-305. 2006.

N. Siebeck, D. J. Hurley, M. García, C. E. Greene, R. G. Kostlin, P. A. Moore, U. M. Dietrich. Effects of human recombinant alpha-2b interferon and feline recombinant omega interferon on in vitro replication of feline herpesvirus-1. Am. J. Vet. Res. 67: 1406–1411. 2006.

Ferguson, N. M., D. Hepp, S. Sun, N. Ikuta, S. Levisohn, S. H. Kleven, and M. García. Use of molecular diversity of Mycoplasma gallisepticum by gene-targeted sequencing (GTS) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis for epidemiological studies. Microbiology. 151:1883 – 1893. 2005

Lysnyansky, I., M.García and S. Levisohn. Use of mgc2-RFLP-PCR for Rapid Differentiation between Field Isolates and Vaccine Strains of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in Israel. Avian Diseases. 49: 238 – 245. 2005.

Hong, Y., M. García, S. Levisohn, I. Lysnyansky, V. Leiting, P. H. M. Savelkoul, and S. H. Kleven. Evaluation of Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism for Differentiation of Avian Mycoplasma Species. J. Clin. Microbiol.43: 909 - 912. 2005.

García, M., N. Ikuta, S. Levisohn and S. H. Kleven. Evaluation and Comparison of Various PCR Methods for Detection of Mycoplasma gallisepticum Infection in Chickens. 49: 125 - 132. 2005.

Hong, Y., M. García, S. Levisohn, P. Savelkoul, V. Leiting, I. Lysnyansky, D. Ley, and S. H. Kleven. Differentiation of Mycoplasma gallispeticum Strains Using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism and other DNA Based Typing Methods. Avian Dis. 49: 43 – 49.2005.

Ferguson, N.M., D. Hepp, S. Sun, N. Ikuta, S. Levisohn, S.H. Kleven, and M. García. Use of molecular diversity of Mycoplasma gallisepticum by gene-targeted sequencing (GTS) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis for epidemiological studies. Microbiology. 151:1883 – 1893. 2005.
Book Chapters
Tripathy, D. N., and M. García. Laryngotracheitis. In: Isolation and identification of avian pathogens. D. E. Swayne, J. R. Glisson, M. W. Jackwood, J. E. Pearson, and W. M. Reed. 5th edition. American Association of Avian Pathologist, University of Pennsylvania, New Bolton Center, PA.

Guy, J. and M. García. Infectious laryngotracheitis virus. Diseases of Poultry. Y. M. Saif, J. R. Glisson, A. M. Fadly, L. R. McDougald, L. K. Nolan, D. E. Swayne. 12th edition. Blackwell Publishing.