College of Veterinary Medicine

Margaret A. Highland, PhD

HighlandAssociate Professor, Anatomic Pathology

BS (1997), Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison
DVM (2006) University of Wisconsin
Diplomate American College of Veterinary Pathologists
Anatomic Pathology Residency (2006-2008), University of California-Davis
Zoo & Wildlife Pathology Fellowship (2008-2010), Milwaukee County Zoo/UW-Madison
PhD (2016) Washington State University, USDA-ARS Pathways Program

Mosier Hall L-224
Tel: 785-532-4460
Email: highland8@vet.k-state.edu

Service

Diagnostic anatomic pathology service, including biopsy and autopsy/necropsy, to the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
Consultation services to Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory clients (owners and referring veterinarians).
Outreach education (research/science updates) to small ruminant owners and organizations (American Sheep Industry Association, American Goat Association, North American Packgoat Association).
Serve as the Vice Chair (transitioning to Chair in 2020) of the U.S. Animal Health Association’s Sheep, Goat, and Camelid Committee.

Teaching

Senior Veterinary Student Necropsy Rotation (DMP 785)
Anatomic Pathology Resident Training

Research

Infectious disease research with special interest in small ruminants. Specific research interests include, but are not limited to, infectious agents of the respiratory tract (in particularly Mycoplasma spp.) and immunologic responses.
Assist in the development and/or validation of diagnostic assays for use within the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
Additional interests include assisting with research projects by providing anatomic pathology expertise.

Selected Publications (2009 onward)

Urie NJ, Highland MA (co-first author), Knowles DP, Branan MA, Herndon DR, Marshall KL. 2019. Mycoplasma ovis infection in domestic sheep (Ovis aries) in the United States: Prevalence, distribution, associated risk factors, and associated outcomes. Prev Vet Med. vol 171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2019.104750

Cunha CW, Slater OM, Macbeth B, Duignan PJ, Warren A, Highland MA, Li H. 2019. Domestic sheep and bighorn sheep carry distinct gammaherpesviruses belonging to the genus Macavirus. 2019. Virus Res. Vol 272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2019.197729

Rovani ER, Beckmen KB, Highland MA. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae associated with polymicrobial pneumoniae in a free-ranging yearling barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) from Alaska, USA. 2019. J Wildl Dis. 55(3): 733-736. https://doi.org/10.7589/2018-08-188

Highland, M.A., Herndon, D.R., Bender, S.C., Hansen L., Gerlach, R.F., Beckmen, K.B. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in wildlife species beyond subfamily Caprinae. 2018. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 24(12): 2384-2386.

Murphy BG, Knowles DP, Highland MA. 2018. Caprine arthritis-encephalitis. Anipedia, www.anipedia.org: JAW Coetzer and P Oberem (Directors) In: Infectious Diseases of Livestock, JAW Coetzer, GR Thomson, NJ Maclachlan and M-L Penrith (Editors).

Murphy BG, Knowles DP, Highland MA. 2018. Visna-maedi. Anipedia, www.anipedia.org: JAW Coetzer and P Oberem (Directors) In: Infectious Diseases of Livestock, JAW Coetzer, GR Thomson, NJ Maclachlan and M-L Penrith (Editors).

Madsen-Bouterse, S.A., Highland, M.A., Dassanayake, R.P., Zhuang, D., Schneider, D.A. Low-volume goat milk transmission of classical scrapie to lambs and goat kids. 2018. PLoS ONE. 13(9): e0204281.

Davenport, K., Duan, M., Hunter, S., New, D., Fagnan, M., Highland, M., Murdoch, B. The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of bighorn sheep. 2018. Genome Announc. 6(23): e0046418.

Phillips, I.L., Cunha, C.W., Galbraith, D., Highland, M.A., Bildfell, R.J., Li, H. High copy number of ovine gammaherpesvirus 2 DNA associated with malignant catarrhal fever-like syndrome in a lamb. 2018. J. Vet. Diagn. Invest. 30(4): 623-627.

Highland, M.A., Berglund, A.K., Knowles, D.P. Total IgG in ewe sera and colostrum and serum IgG kinetics in lambs following colostrum ingestion are similar in domestic sheep and bighorn sheep (Ovis aries and Ovis canadensis). 2017. Sheep & Goat Research Journal. 32: 36-42.

Oliveira, R.D., Mousel, M.R., Pabilonia, K.L., Highland, M.A., Taylor, J.B., Knowles, D.P., White, S.N. Domestic sheep show average Coxiella burnetii seropositivity generations after a sheep-associated human Q fever outbreak and lack detectable shedding by placental, vaginal, and fecal routes. 2017. PLoS ONE. 12(11): e0188054.

White, S.N., Oliveira, R.D., Mousel, M.R., Gonzalez, M.V., Highland, M.A., Herndon, M.K., Taylor, J.B., Knowles, D.P. Underdominant KCC3b R31I association with blood sodium concentration in domestic sheep suggests role in oligomer function. 2017. Anim. Genet. 48(5): 626-627.

Highland, M.A., Small Ruminant Lentiviruses: strain variation, viral tropism, and host genetics influence pathogenesis (Invited Guest Editorial). 2017. Vet. Pathol. 54(3): 353-354.

Highland, M.A., Schneider, D.A., White, S.N., Madsen-Bouterse, S.A., Knowles, D.P., Davis, W.C. Differences in leukocyte differentiation molecule abundances on domestic sheep (Ovis aries) and bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) neutrophils identified by flow cytometry. 2016. Comp. Immunol. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 46: 40-46.Class, A., Ball, B.A., Liu, I.K.M., Vaughan, B., Highland, M.A.,Brown, J.A. Uterine B-cell lymphoma in a mare. 2015. Vet. Equine Ed. 27(7): e5-e8.

Alshanbari, F.A., Mousel, M.R., Reynolds, J.O., Herrmann-Hoesing, L.M., Highland, M.A., Lewis, G.S., White, S.N. Mutations in Ovis aries TMEM154 are associated with lower small ruminant lentivirus proviral concentration in one sheep flock. 2014. Anim. Genet. 45(4): 565-571.

Jiang Y, et al. (Highland M.A., 30th author, alphabetical order). The sheep genome illuminates biology of the rumen and lipid metabolism. 2014. Science. 344(6188): 1168-1173.

White, S.N., Mousel, M.V., Gonzalez, M.V., Highland, M.A., Herrmann-Hoesing, L.M., Taylor, J.B., Knowles, D.P. Association analysis of variant near ZNF389 with ewe cumulative production in three sheep breeds. 2014. Anim. Genet. 45(4): 613-614.

Besser, T.E., Cassirer, E.F., Highland, M.A., Wolff, P., Justice-Allen, A., Mansfield, K., Davis, M.A., Foreyt, W. Bighorn sheep pneumonia: Sorting out the cause of a polymicrobial disease. 2013. Prev. Vet. Med. 108(2-3): 85-93.

Li, H., Brooking, A., Cunha, C.W., Highland, M.A., O’Toole, D., Knowles, D.P., Taus, N.S. Experimental induction of malignant catarrhal fever in pigs with ovine herpesvirus 2 by intranasal nebulization. 2012. Vet. Microbiol. 159(3-4): 485-489.

O’Rourke, K.I., Schneider, D.A., Spraker, T.R., Dassanayake, R.P., Highland, M.A., Zhuang, D., Truscott, T.C. Transmissibility of caprine scrapie in ovine transgenic mice. 2012. BMC Vet. Res. 8(1): 42.

Besser, T.E., Highland, M.A., Baker, K., Cassirer, F.E., Anderson, N.J., Ramsey, J.M., Mansfield, K, Bruning, D.L., Wolff, P., Smith, J.B., and Jenks, J.A. Causes of pneumonia epizootics among bighorn sheep, western United States, 2008-2010. 2012. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 18: 406-414.

Highland, M.A., Chaturvedi S., Perez, M., Steinberg H., Wallace, R. Histologic and molecular identification of disseminated Histoplasma capsulatum in a captive brown bear (Ursus arctos). 2011. J. Vet. Diagn. Invest. 23(4): 764-769.

Cornish, J., Highland, M. Successful treatment of juvenile pemphigus foliaceus in a Nigerian Dwarf goat. 2010. JAVMA. 236(6): 674-676.

Highland, M.A., Byrne, B.A., DebRoy, C., Samitz, E.M., Peterson, T.S., Oslund, K.L. Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli-induced pneumonia in three kittens and fecal prevalence in a clinically healthy cohort population. 2009. J. Vet. Diagn. Invest. 21:609-615.

Tzipory L., Vernau K.M., Sturges B.K., Zabka T.S., Highland M.A., Petersen S.A., Wisner E.R., Moore P.F., Vernau W. Antemortem diagnosis of localized central nervous system histiocytic sarcoma in 2 dogs. 2009. J. Vet. Intern. Med. 23(2):369-374.