Kansas State University’s Center of Excellence for Vector Borne-Diseases (CEVBD) has obtained $200,000 from the state of Kansas through its National Bio and Agro-defense Facility (NBAF) Transition Fund to study the novel pathogen and work on developing a vaccine against the disease.

The center’s director, Dr. Roman Ganta, professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine, explained how a corporate gift was used as a matching-fund component for obtaining the transitional-funding grant.

“We have been quite fortune to have strong annual support from Abaxis, a cutting-edge medical and veterinary technology company, who provided us with a $250,000 gift earlier this year,” Dr. Ganta said. “Our expertise in vector-borne disease research and the availability of a high containment facility at Kansas State University [Biosecurity Research Institute], and the future establishment of the NBAF in Manhattan give us a unique ability to study a pathogen that has not been studied before in the U.S.”

The name "heartwater" is derived from the hydropericardium symptoms that are commonly seen with this disease. While it has originally been identified as a Sub-Saharan African disease, it is also established in several Caribbean islands. The disease is also characterized by fever, neurological signs, hydrothorax, ascites, edema of the lungs and high mortality rates.

Two tick species in the US have been identified as vectors for the pathogen. The cattle egret, a migratory bird, has also been identified through its migratory patterns, as a potential vehicle for infected ticks to enter the American mainland. The possible introduction of the disease from the Caribbean and through imported exotic foreign animals from Africa is a major concern for heartwater establishment in the USA.

Dr. Ganta said the USDA estimated that if heartwater disease is introduced, it could cause up to $2.3 billion losses to the US economy.

“The long-term goal of our proposed research is to develop live-attenuated vaccines and to improve any inactivated vaccines to protect ruminants against heartwater in the US and abroad,” Dr. Ganta said. “Currently, there are no approved drugs or vaccines against heartwater disease in the US.”

Dr. Ganta and Dr. Jodi McGill, an assistant professor in the college, will serve as the principal investigator and co-principal investigator, respectively, for the project. They will be assisted by Dr. Kathryn Reif, an assistant professor in the same department.

The Center of Excellence for Vector Borne-Diseases is an interdisciplinary research center focused on pathogenesis, surveillance and prevention of tick-borne diseases and other vector-borne diseases of significant importance to animal and human health. The goals of the center are to prepare Kansas State University for building a strong program on vector-borne diseases, establishing a tick rearing facility, developing a network to build collaborative research involving scientists from K-State with other academic institutions from the US and abroad, training new generation of scientists with expertise on vector-borne diseases, developing and offering continuing education workshops, and developing additional resources.

Drs. Yunjeong Kim, associate professor, and Kyeong-Ok Chang, professor, both of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, and Dr. William Groutas, a distinguished professor of chemistry at Wichita State University, developed the antiviral compounds used in the study. In a collaboration and demonstration with Dr. Niels Pedersen, professor emeritus of medicine and epidemiology at the University of California, Davis, one of the research compounds stopped progression of FIP and led to clinical recovery to cats with the disease.

“These findings showed that inhibiting growth of the virus is the critical component of treatment for FIP,” Dr. Kim said. “This will help us and other researchers find a way to effectively manage or treat FIP in the future. Also, these findings have broader implications for other important coronavirus infections, since no antiviral drugs exist for human or animal coronaviruses.”

Coronaviruses are the causative agents of many important diseases in both humans and animals, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome, and can cause diarrhea in dogs and other animals such as cattle, sheep, deer, giraffes and more.

“This is an exciting development in FIP research with the potential to have a major impact on feline health worldwide,” said Barbara Wolfe, chief scientific officer at Morris Animal Foundation. “FIP is a significant problem for kittens and cats under 2 years of age, particularly in shelter environments or catteries. If we continue to be successful in this research, it will represent a major breakthrough in treating this terrible disease.”

Morris Animal Foundation recently committed $1.2 million to fund research that will advance knowledge of FIP. After a rigorous selection process, Kim and her team received an additional grant to conduct a clinical trial investigating the effect of the newly identified compound in client-owned cats with FIP.

The clinical trial currently is underway as a collaborative effort between Kansas State University and the University of California, Davis. The researchers hope to enroll up to 70 cats with FIP into the trial, and anticipate the study will be completed in two years.

The first phase of the trial involving 15 cats with various forms of FIP is fully enrolled and no more cats are being accepted for treatment at this time. The researchers will take two to three months to allow time to evaluate preliminary results and decide on what forms of FIP will respond best to treatment and the optimal dosage regimen. Once those determinations are made, the trial will be re-opened for another small group of cats that meet trial guidelines.

Dr. Kim authored the article "Reversal of the Progression of Fatal Coronavirus Infection in Cats by a Broad-Spectrum Coronavirus Protease Inhibitor" that was published in the journal PLOS Pathogens earlier this year. Along with funding from the Morris Animal Foundation, her work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health and Winn Feline Foundation. Duy Hua, distinguished professor of chemistry at Kansas State University, also assisted with the research.

Dr. Justin Kastner, is co-director of the Frontier program, which focuses on border security, food security and trade policy. Training for the Cochran Fellows was led by principal investigators Dr. Kastner, assistant professor in DM/P, and Dr. Sara Gragg, assistant professor of food science in the animal sciences and industry department at K-State Olathe. Teaching and logistics support was provided by Danny Unruh, a doctoral student in food science at K-State Olathe, Sarah Jones, senior in food science and industry, and Steve Toburen, Frontier field trip coordinator.

Dr. Kastner said the training is built on similar Frontier training programs conducted in 2008 and 2009 with Cochran Fellows from Thailand and Egypt.

“We consider it a privilege to work with the Cochran program,” Dr. Kastner said. “We remain committed to helping other countries build capacity in the important areas of food safety, food security and trade-policy development.”

The six fellows who visited Manhattan were: Charles Mukama, senior veterinary inspector for Uganda’s Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries; Betty Namwagala, executive director of the Uganda Coffee Federation; Lucy Ikonya, manager of Trade Affairs for the Kenya Bureau of Standards; Patrick Njeru, an analytical chemist for the Kenya Plant Health Inspection Service; Philis Githaiga, senior inspector for the Kenya Plant Health Inspection Service; and Hastings Ngoma, principal economist for the Malawi Ministry of Agriculture.

The Frontier researchers provided instruction from Aug. 22 – Sept. 2 through lectures, workshops and tours related to global training systems, animal health, plant health and food safety. The sessions covered topics such as international regulations, import-export controls, the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, and public public-private partnerships.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service administers the Cochran Fellowship Program. It is U.S.-based and provides agricultural training opportunities for senior and mid-level specialists and administrators. Countries must be classified as middle-income, an emerging democracy or an emerging market to be eligible.

Dr. Justin Kastner, (right, standing) co-director of Kansas State University’s Frontier program, and Danny Unruh, (standing) doctoral student in food science from K-State Olathe, welcome a visiting group in the USDA’s Cochran Fellowship program to the K-State Alumni Center, where they are learning about global training systems, animal health, plant health and food safety.

The Cochran Fellows enjoy their visit to campus at the Peine Gate in front of the K-State Alumni Center.

Selected for this year’s internship is Dr. Natalia Strandberg, a 2014 graduate of the University of Wisconsin and Dr. Yvonne Wikander, a 1989 graduate of Oregon State University.

Drs. Strandberg and Wikander will receive extensive training in clinical pathology methods and interpretation. Additionally, to gain experience concerning laboratory techniques and results interpretation in other diagnostic medicine specialties, they will rotate through each KSVDL laboratory area including anatomic pathology, clinical microbiology, histopathology, molecular diagnostics, next-generation sequencing, rabies, serology and virology.

“Laboratory rotations allow one to see the latest and greatest in the diagnostic world as well as learning about the coolest up-and-coming technologies,” Dr. Wikander said.

Dr. Strandberg echoed similar sentiments about the program.

“The diagnostic medicine internship has been an invaluable experience for preparing me for a clinical pathology residency,” she said. “The rotations are a great way to get hands-on experience with the other departments in a diagnostic laboratory and to learn how diagnostic tests are performed, which is helpful in making recommendations for one test over another.”

After completion of the specialty rotations, both interns have the option to focus on any diagnostic area outside the clinical pathology specialty as a possible career path during the course of the year, if so desired.

Both daytime training and after-hours emergency on-call duties are required of the interns. Daytime activities include not only training and laboratory rotation, but also the opportunity to participate in a variety of specialty medical rounds and to enroll in classes chosen to match the intern’s career interests, offered through Kansas State University. Emergency after-hours duties include interacting with clinicians and completing clinical pathology testing for cases that are hospitalized within the Veterinary Health Center at Kansas State University.

The program is open to applicants who have a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine and a strong interest in diagnostic medicine. If you would like more information about this program, please contact Dr. Gregg Hanzlicek at 785-532-4853 or gahanz@vet.k-state.edu and/or Dr. Lisa Pohlman at 785-532-4882 lpohlman@vet.k-state.edu.

Kayla Bailey and Dr. Matthewos Eshete

A participant in a summer program funded by the Department of Homeland Security and overseen by the Center of Excellence for Emerging Zoonotic and Animal Diseases (CEEZAD) hopes the lessons she learned during her 10-week stay at Kansas State will take root on her home campus.

Kayla Bailey, a student at Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, Miss., examined the binding interactions between proteins and biodegradable nanoparticles. Having completed the study, Bailey is enthusiastic about using her newfound knowledge to expand science horizons at Mississippi Valley State.

She intends to join Women in Science and Technology (a campus club) aimed at women who are STEM majors. “Club members work with young girls in the local community, telling them about the positive and fulfilling aspects of STEM programs,” she explained. “Hopefully, I will get the opportunity to speak about my research experience and how much it helped me.”

Dr. Jessica Green, project coordinator for CEEZAD, said the team’s research proposal was chosen from among a large number of applications. At K-State, her work was overseen by Dr. Seong-O Choi, an assistant professor of anatomy and physiology and a core faculty member in the Nanotechnology Innovation Center of Kansas State, or NICKS.

Biodegradable nanoparticles are polymers containing great potential in delivering therapeutic molecules such as vaccines and drugs to target cells. A nanoparticle is defined as being between one billionth of a meter and 10 millionths of a meter in size. The study of nanoparticles is playing a major role in the advancement of modern medicine because their interaction with proteins is consequential for drug delivery and the immune system.

“This investigation has the ability to shed light on the topic to those who have never heard of the evolutionary technology,” Bailey wrote in her summary report of her summer experience. She said nanoparticles “have the capability of becoming a better solution to so many problems and each study can only contribute to the success of nanotechnology.”

Her experience at K-State was featured in the campus newsletter, meaning Mississippi Valley State student awareness of such summer opportunities will be increased. “It will let my fellow students know that they can obtain the similar accomplishments that I have and that it is very possible to be a successful MVSU student,” she said.

The learning environment in campus chemistry labs should also benefit. Bailey was accompanied during her work at K-State by Dr. Matthewos Eshete, an associate professor of chemistry at Mississippi Valley State. Dr. Eshete teaches general chemistry for freshman students and Biochemistry and Research method courses for senior students. He said he intends to integrate the project in his lab at MVSU. “I am also planning to include nanoparticles and their application as one of presentation topics in my research methods class that I am teaching as well as in seminar classes,” he said. “This will help students to get some understanding about nanoparticles and their applications.”

Dr. Eshete was also able to use the summer experience to expand his own knowledge base, collaborating with Dr. Choi and Dr. Santos Aryal, an assistant professor of chemistry and NICKS faculty member, on interaction of biodegradable nanoparticles with proteins of the immune system.

Dr. Eshete described nanoparticles as “products of cutting-age technology with promising and tremendous potential applications, including vaccine and drug delivery.” But he said molecular research is critical to making effective use of them. “In this project an effort has been put forth toward understanding of the molecular level interaction of biodegradable (nanoparticles), which are possible drug delivery agents, with proteins in the innate immune systems,” he said. Dr. Eshete described the project goal “as a better understanding of the required modification of nanoparticles for their efficacy in drug delivery… in line with the mission to enhance the capability of the US Department of Homeland Security.”

The research experience opened Bailey’s eyes to the possibilities inherent in science. “Before this research experience, I was uncertain about my career plans,” she said. Working in a laboratory setting, she discovered a strong affinity for cosmetic sciences. “I realized I really enjoyed being in the lab and it is something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life,” she said.

Now, she said, she envisions a career as a cosmetic chemist. “There are several different jobs that fall under that category such as formulators, quality control chemists, synthesis chemists etc.” She said she has not decided on a focus yet, “but I know that I want to work within this specific industry.”

Magnus Scott Jr. and Dr. Steve Zeng

A faculty/student research team from Langston University has completed a summer project at Kansas State University designed to test for the presence of E.coli in goat byproducts on Kansas farms.

The participants, Magnus Scott Jr., a senior-to-be at Langston, and Dr. Steve Zeng, an assistant professor in dairy production at the school, took part in the 10-week research program under the auspices of the Center of Excellence for Zoonotic and Animal Diseases (CEEZAD) at Kansas State University and funded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Their work was overseen by Dr. Jianfa Bai, an assistant professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University responsible for Molecular Research and Development at the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (KSVDL).

Dr. Jessica Green, project coordinator for CEEZAD, said the team’s research proposal was chosen from among a large number of applications. The Centers for Disease Control describes E.coli as a type of bacteria normally living in the intestines of people and animals. Although most forms of the bacteria are harmless, someare pathogenic, meaning they can cause illness, either diarrhea or illness outside of the intestinal tract. Those types can be transmitted through contaminated water or food, or through contact with animals or persons. An estimated 265,000 E.coli infections occur each year in the United States. Scott’s research focused on processes of identifying those pathogenic types in goats because of the increasing popularity of goat milk as a niche market in the United States, where it is used in cheese, powdered milk, ice cream and yogurt.

The process employed by Scott and Dr. Zeng involved collecting goat milk and fecal samples at three locations – Langston University’s own goat farm as well as operating farms in Lecompton and Victoria, Kansas. More than 100 milk samples and more than 90 fecal samples were analyzed in Dr. Bai’s lab at the KSVDL, all of them determined not to contain dangerous amounts of the pathogenic type of E.coli bacteria.

Scott said his research identified four primary implications and outcomes: Goat feces and the farm environment are reservoirs of E. coli strains; good practices in milking, farm management and health control must be followed to eliminate contamination of E. coli in goat milk for human consumption; the study enhanced his own personal experience and research skills; the experience will also enhance Langston University’s undergraduate research capacity.

Scott said the mere experience of doing the field and lab work was the real benefit. “I was able to soak everything up,” he said. Now he hopes to return to Langston for his senior year with an eye toward teaching some of the school’s freshmen about the importance of research in agriculture. He is now strongly considering graduate school, and some day making Langston a research center that hosts grant programs such as the one he has just completed at K-State. “We want to let (people) know that Langston University is significant,” he said.

Dr. Juergen Richt, Regents Distinguished Professor of Pathobiology at Kansas State and director of CEEZAD, said Scott’s experience illustrated the value of the summer program as a means of exploring one’s career paths. “Magnus wanted to study social work, but Dr. Zeng talked him into doing this summer program,” Richt said. “Now he is “hooked” on science and wants to use his skills to work with disadvantaged kids and young adults to introduce them to the world of science.”

Scott is balancing his academic studies at Langston with another pursuit: track. He is a sprint specialist on the Langston team, his credits including a 10.58 time in the 100 meter dash at the 2016 NAIA track championships. He hopes to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games representing Liberia, the nation where his father was born.

Although he is a native of Langston, Scott left home as a freshman to run track at K-State, where he was an open option major for his first two years. But during visits back home, conversations with friends gradually drew him to the realization that he enjoyed agriculture. “We use ag every day,” he noted. So he transferred to Langston as a junior, focusing on the dairy goat industry. Today he owns three acres of land that could become the basis for expanded farming pursuits later in life.

Dr. Zeng and Scott were hosted by CEEZAD as part of the DHS Office of University Program’s Summer Research Team for Minority Serving Institutions program. The program is intended to engage faculty and student research teams in summer research collaborations at university-based DHS Centers of Excellence with the hope of establishing long-term connections in order to “build a diverse, highly capable technical workforce for the homeland security enterprise.”

It could bear additional fruit for Langston. The teams are eligible to apply for $50K in follow-on funding from DHS at the end of the 10-week program, and Dr. Zeng has already begun the application process. While a final decision on that application remains pending, DHS officials have expressed their pleasure at being able to work for the first time with Langston.

By Avery Loyd, class of 2019

This summer I attended Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar, MO. They offer 8-, 16- and 24-week courses. Due to our school schedule, I was only able to attend the 8-week course. I learned so much and wish I could’ve stayed longer! HHS was one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced, but man, it was fun! To graduate the 8-week course at HHS, you have to pass two written exams (anatomy and pathology), pass a final horse (trim, shape and shoe two feet in an hour), complete the forge projects (handmade tools and different types of shoes). At 8:30a.m. (Monday-Friday), we would load the vans and head off to shoe horses, with the exception of Wednesday when we would shoe at the school. Typically, we would trim/shoe til lunch, and then head back to the school for classroom time and forge demos and projects. We worked in the blistering heat, rain or shine, trimming and/or shoeing horses, mules, donkeys and even goats!

I have always known I wanted to be an equine veterinarian, but becoming a farrier has been a dream of mine for a long time, as well. I have owned horses my entire life, and I always watched the farrier when they came out to do my horses’ feet. It is something that I have always wanted to learn about and do. Another reason I chose to go to horseshoeing school was to help bridge the communication gap between equine veterinarians and farriers. I have personally seen veterinarians who do not know the correct treatment for different leg/hoof pathologies, or will write incorrect prescriptions for the farrier; and vice versa, the farrier does not know exactly what the vet wants. First year, we did not learn a lot about the hoof besides some of the anatomy. If the horse’s foot is not good, the horse cannot perform, and I knew I needed to know more about it. In farrier school, I learned how to determine the correct natural angle of the hoof by using the hoof-pastern axis, how to trim and shoe a horse, how to identify different pathologies of the leg and hoof, and what shoes are used to accommodate those pathologies.

I would really love to get together with some course coordinators to talk about the possibility of integrating the basics of farriery into the curriculum. This would benefit veterinarians, farriers and, most importantly, horses everywhere.

Bovine anaplasmosis is a blood disease caused by Anaplasma marginale which can cause adult-animal sudden death, abortion, weight loss, and a reduction in performance. Animals that become infected and survive become lifelong persistently-infected carriers. As carriers, they often show few or no symptoms and serve as a source of infection to the rest of the herd. Because of the nature of the disease, some herds remain at an unknown infection status.

Several studies have been completed assessing the prevalence of the disease in several U.S. states, but none have been completed in Kansas. The increase in the number of positive cases in Kansas test submissions to the KSVDL from 2013 to 2015 suggests either an increase in bovine anaplasmosis awareness among veterinarians or producers or the prevalence of the disease has increased in certain areas of the state.

In addition to estimating the level of anaplasmosis in Kansas cow-calf herds, this study will also investigate the different A. marginale strains present in Kansas. Differentiation is important because strains differ in the severity of clinical signs they produce, and the only vaccine available contains only one strain. This strain may be different than those present in some areas of Kansas, which might help explain the lack of vaccine effectiveness that has been reported.

The study involves collecting blood samples from 16,100 adult bovines, which will represent 1,610 Kansas cow-calf operations. The samples will be stored, and because they will represent a large portion of the Kansas cow-calf industry, they can be used in the future to discover the prevalence and risk factors associated with several other important bovine diseases including bovine viral diarrhea, Johne’s disease, and bovine leukosis.

Understanding anaplasmosis prevalence and the management factors that contribute to its presence in cow-calf herds will be important for formulating both prevention and disease management plans in the near future. This information will not only be useful for Kansas herds, but herds throughout the United States.

The targeted sampling period will start Oct. 1, 2016 with a targeted endpoint of Jan. 31, 2017.

Kansas veterinary practitioners will be calling on their clients to participate in this study. If you are selected to participate, the KSVDL encourages you to say yes, as your participation is important for the success of the project.

More information is available by contacting Gregg Hanzlicek, veterinarian with the KSVDL at 785-532-4853 or email gahanz@vet.k-state.edu.