College of Veterinary Medicine

Janine Seetahalseetahal

Clinical Assistant Professor

Section Head, Rabies Laboratory
Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Ph.D. (2021), M.P.H. (2011), D.V.M. (2006), University of the West Indies, Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies

160 CVM East/ KSU-IC
Phone: 785 532 4472
Email: jseetahal@vet.k-state.edu

Research and Service

As the Head of the Rabies Section at the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (KSVDL), I supervise the overall operations of the Rabies Laboratory which encompass both rabies virus diagnostic testing and rabies serology. Our laboratory is one of the highest volume rabies serology centers in the world handling both human and animal samples submitted by physicians, veterinarians and industry stakeholders.

In this role I aim to provide timely and accessible rabies diagnostics to our clients worldwide and foster the development of novel laboratory assays supportive of rabies prevention and control efforts at both national and international scales. Beyond rabies diagnostics I also aim to develop innovative research programs that answer fundamental questions within the context of the evolving epidemiological landscape of rabies. I am also deeply invested in the practice of One Health, and seek to bridge the gap between the human, animal and environmental domains in my research pursuits while advocating for a holistic and collaborative approach to solving global health challenges.

My primary research interests are rabies and bat associated pathogens. I am particularly intrigued by the ecology and epidemiology of bat rabies and factors that facilitate cross-species spillover events from the reservoir host. I ultimately strive to contribute to the development of evidence-based prevention and control strategies for zoonotic diseases at the human-animal interface.

Selected Publications

Seetahal, J.F.R.; Greenberg, L.; Satheshkumar, P.S.; Sanchez-Vazquez, M.J.; Legall, G.; Singh, S.; Ramkissoon, V.; Schountz, T.; Munster, V.; Oura, C.A.L.; Carrington, C.V.F. The Serological Prevalence of Rabies Virus-Neutralizing Antibodies in the Bat Population on the Caribbean Island of Trinidad. Viruses 2020, 12, 178

Seetahal JFR, Sanchez-Vazquez, MJ, Vokaty A, Carrington CVF, Mahabir R, Adesiyun AA, Rupprecht CE. Of bats and livestock: The epidemiology of rabies in Trinidad, West Indies. Vet Microbiol. 2019, 228, 93-100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.11.020

Morgan, C.N, Wallace, R.M, Vokaty, A, Seetahal, J.F.R, Nakazawa, Y.J. Risk modelling of bat rabies in the Caribbean islands. Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2020 Mar 1;5(1). pii: E35. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed5010035

Schulz, J.E; Seifert, S.N.; Thompson, J.T.; Avanzato, V.; Sterling, S.L;Yan, L.; Letko, M.C.; Matson, M.J; Fischer, R.J.; Tremeau-Bravard, A; Seetahal, J.F.R; Ramkissoon, V; Foster, J; Goldstein, T.; Anthony, S.J.; Epstein, J.E.; Laing, E.D.; Broder, C.C.; Carrington, C.V.F; Schountz, T.; Munster, V.J. Serological Evidence for Henipa-like and Filo-like Viruses in Trinidad Bats, The Journal of Infectious Diseases 2020. jiz648, https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiz648.

Suepaul RB, Seetahal JFR, Oura C, Gyan L, Ramoutar VV, Ramkisson B, Sahadeo N, Carrington CVF. Novel Poxviral infection in three finch species illegally imported into Trinidad, West Indies, with implications for native birds. J Zoo Wildl Med. 2019, 50(1): 231-237.

Rupprecht CE, Bannazadeh Bahi H, Del Rio Vilas V, Gibson A, Lohr F, Meslin FX, Seetahal, JFR, Shervell K, Gambie L. Historical, current and expected future occurrence of rabies in enzootic regions. Rev Sci Tech Off Int Epiz, 2018, 37(2), 729-739.

Rupprecht CE, Bannazadeh Bahi H, Del Rio Vilas V, Gibson A, Lohr F, Meslin FX, Seetahal, JFR, Shervell K, Gambie L. Global rabies management; perspectives on regional strategies for prevention and control. Rev Sci Tech Off Int Epiz, 2018, 37(2), 711-727.

Seetahal, J.F.R.; Vokaty, A.; Vigilato, M.A.N.; Carrington, C.V.F.; Pradel, J.; Louison, B.; Sauers, A.V.; Roopnarine, R.; Arrebato, J.C.G.; Millien, M.F.; James, C.; Rupprecht, C.E. Rabies in the Caribbean: A Situational Analysis and Historic Review. Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2018, 3, 89.

Malmlov A, Seetahal J, Carrington C, Ramkisson V, Foster J, Miazgowicz K, Quackenbush S, Rovnak J, Negrete O, Munster V, Schountz T. Serological evidence of arenavirus circulation among fruit bats in Trinidad. PLoS One. 2017 Sept 27: 12(9): e0185308. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185308

Seetahal JFR, Vokaty A, Mahabir R, Carrington CVF, Adesiyun AA, Hinds AQJ, Rupprecht CE. The History of Rabies in Trinidad: Epidemiology and Control Measures. Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2017, 2(3) 27 doi:10.3390/tropicalmed2030027

Seetahal JFR, Velasco-Villa A, Allicock O, Adesiyun AA, Bissessar J, Amour K, Phillip-Hosein A, Marston DA, McElhinney LM, Shi M, Wharwood C, Fooks AR, Carrington CVF. Evolutionary history and phylogeography of rabies viruses associated with outbreaks in Trinidad. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2013 Aug 22;7(8):e2365. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002365.

Malmlov A, Seetahal J, Carrington C, Ramkisson V, Foster J, Munster V, Quackenbush S. Schountz T. Serological evidence that Tacaribe virus is circulating among bats in Trinidad and Tobago. New Horizons in Translational Medicine. May-July 2015. Vol 2, Issues 4-5: 129.

Book Contributions

Foster JE, Mendoza JA, Seetahal J. Viruses as pathogens: animal viruses with emphasis on human viruses. In Viruses: molecular biology, host interactions and applications to biotechnology, Eds Tennant P, Fermin G, Foster JE. Elseiver Publishers. 2018