The San Diego Zoo's Conservation and Research for Endangered Species: Divisions & Staff

Bai Yun with newborn Mei Sheng
Dr. Bruce Rideout exams an X ray.

Wildlife Disease Laboratories

The Wildlife Disease Laboratories Division of CRES is the laboratory diagnostic specialty group for the Zoological Society of San Diego. The division helps to ensure the health and well being of captive and wild populations through multidisciplinary disease investigations and innovative research.

The Wildlife Disease Laboratories Division consists of three laboratories—Clinical Pathology, Necropsy, and Molecular Diagnostics—that work together to investigate and resolve animal health problems that affect the Zoological Society's collection and field conservation programs. Any given investigation might begin at one lab but often quickly involves all three labs, as each brings different strengths and areas of expertise to the investigation. This coordinated effort enables the Wildlife Disease Laboratories Division to accomplish things no other zoo can achieve.

Staff

  • Bruce Rideout, D.V.M., Ph.D., Diplomate, A.C.V.P., Associate Director of CRES/Wildlife Disease Laboratories
  • Ilse Stalis, D.V.M., Diplomate, A.C.V.P., Senior Scientist
  • Rebecca Papendick, D.V.M., Diplomate, A.C.V.P., Senior Scientist
  • Allan Pessier, D.V.M., Diplomate, A.C.V.P., Scientist
  • Mark Schrenzel, D.V.M., Ph.D., Diplomate, A.C.V.P., Scientist
  • Patty Gaffney, D.V.M., Pathology Resident
  • Taryn Donovan, D.V.M., Diplomate, A.C.V.P., Pathology Fellow
  • Carmel Witte, M.S., Research Fellow
  • Simon Anthony, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow
  • Laura Keener, MT (ASCP), Senior Laboratory Manager
  • Yvonne Cates, HT (ASCP), Research Coordinator
  • Eric Becht, MLT (ASCP), Senior Research Technician
  • Kim Bush, CLS (ASCLS), Senior Research Technician
  • Julie Concha, Senior Research Technician
  • April Gorow, Senior Research Technician
  • Marc Hammond, Research Technician
  • Elizabeth Jezier, RVT, Senior Research Technician
  • Jean-Pierre Montagne, Senior Research Technician
  • Leslie Nielsen, RVT, Research Technician
  • Tammy Tucker, M.S., Senior Research Technician
  • Kimberley Williams, RVT, Research Technician
  • Mark Forror, Senior Building and Grounds Attendant
  • Matthew Guzman, Senior Building and Grounds Attendant
  • Jamie Koyama, Senior Administrative Assistant
  • Julie Medlock, Senior Administrative Assistant


    Would you like to help? Join the CRES Team!

 

Recent Publications

 

  • Witte, C., L. Hungerford, R. Papendick, I. Stalis, B. Rideout. (2008). Investigation of characteristics and factors associated with avian mycobacteriosis in zoo birds. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 20:186-196. View in pdf...
  • Dean, J., K. Latimer, J. Oaks, M. Schrenzel, P. Redig, and A. Wunschmann. (2006). Falcon adenovirus infection in breeding Taita falcons Falco fasciinucha. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 18 (3): 282-286.
  • Carey, C., J. Bruzgul, L. Livo, M. Walling, K. Kuehl, B. Dixon, A. Pessier, R. Alford, and K.Rogers (2006). Experimental exposures of boreal toads Bufo boreas to a pathogenic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. EcoHealth 3: 5-21.
  • Lips, K., F. Brem, R. Brenes, J. Reeve, R. Alford, J. Voyles, C. Carey, L. Livo, A. Pessier, and J. Collins (2006). Emerging infectious disease and the loss of biodiversity in a neotropical amphibian community. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 103: 3165-3170.
  • Blaustein, A., J. Romansic, E. Scheessele, B. Han, A. Pessier, and J.Longcore (2005). Interspecific variation in susceptibility of frog tadpoles to the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Conservation Biology 19: 1460-1468.
  • Reeder, A., M. Ruiz, A. Pessier, L. Brown, J. Levengood, C. Phillips, M. Wheeler, R. Warner, and V. Beasley (2005). Intersexuality and the cricket frog decline: historic and geographic trends. Environmental Health Perspectives 113: 261-265.
  • Schrenzel, M., J. Lindsay Oaks, D. Rotstein, G. Maalouf, E. Snook, C. Sandfort, and B. Rideout (2005). Characterization of a new species of adenovirus in falcons. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 43(7): 3402-3413.
  • J. Lindsay Oaks, M. Schrenzel, B. Rideout, and C. Sandfort (2005). Isolation and Epidemiology of Falcon Adenovirus. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 43(7): 3414-20.
  • Schrenzel, M., G. Maalouf, P. Gaffney, D. Tokarz, L. Keener, D. McClure, S. Griffey, and B. Rideout (2005). Molecular Characterization of Isosporoid Coccidia Atoxoplasma spp. in Passerine Birds. Journal of Parasitology 91(3), pp. 635–647.
  • Nicolas, M., I. Stalis, T. Clippinger, M. Busch, R. Nordhausen, G. Maalouf, and M. Schrenzel (2005). Systemic disease in Vaal rhebok Pelea capreolus caused by mycoplasmas in the mycoides cluster. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 43(3):1330-40.
  • Johnson, A. A. Pessier, J. Wellehan, R. Brown, and E. Jacobson (2005). Identification of a novel herpesvirus from a California desert tortoise Gopherus agassizii. Veterinary Microbiology 111: 107-116.
  • Meteyer, C., B. Rideout, M. Gilbert, H. Shivaprasad, and J. Lindsay Oaks (2005). Pathology and proposed pathophysiology of diclofenac poisoning in free-living and experimentally-exposed oriental white-backed vultures Gyps bengalensis. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 41(4).
  • Barta, J., M. Schrenzel, R. Carreno, and B. Rideout (2005). Critical comment: The genus Atoxoplasma (Garnham 1950) as a junior objective synonym of the genus Isospora (Schneider 1881) species infecting birds and resurrection of Cystoisospora (Frenkel 1977) as the correct genus for Isospora species infecting mammals. Journal of Parasitology 91(3), pp. 726–727.
  • Oaks, J., S. Donahoe, F. Rurangirwa, B. Rideout, M. Gilbert, M. Virani, and R. Watson (In press). Identification of a novel Mycoplasma species from an Oriental white-backed vulture Gyps bengalensis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
  • Wellehan, J., A. Johnson, B. Harrach, M. Benkö, A. Pessier, C. Johnson, M. Garner, A. Childress, and E. Jacobson (2004). Detection and analysis of six lizard adenoviruses by consensus primer PCR provides further evidence of a reptilian origin for the Atadenoviruses. Journal of Virology 78: 13366-13369.
  • Oaks, J., M. Gilbert, M. Virani, R. Watson, C. Meteyer, B. Rideout, H. Shivaprasad, S. Ahmed, M. Chaudhry, M. Arshad, S. Mahmood, A. Ali, and A. Khan (2004). Diclofenac Residues as the Cause of Vulture Population Decline in Pakistan. Nature February 12: 427(6975):630-3.
  • Pessier, A., L. Munson, and R. Miller (2004). Oral, nasal, and cutaneous eosinophilic granulomas in the black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis: A lesion distinct from superficial necrolytic dermatitis. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 35: 1-7.
  • Carey, C., A. Pessier, and A. Peace (2003). Pathogens, infectious disease and immune defenses. In Amphibian Conservation (Semlitch, R., editor), pp 127-136. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  • Davidson, E., M. Parris, J. Collins, J. Longcore, A. Pessier, and J. Brunner (2003). Pathogenicity and transmission of chytridiomycosis in tiger salamanders Ambystoma tigrinum. Copeia: 601-607.
  • Kim, T., W. Schnitzlein, D. McAloose, A. Pessier, and D. Tripathy (2003). Characterization of an avianpoxvirus isolated from an Andean condor Vultur gryphus. Veterinary Microbiology 96: 237-246.
  • Lips, K., D. Green, and R. Papendick (2003). Chytridiomycosis in wild frogs from southern Costa Rica. Journal of Herpetology 37(1); 215-217.