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François Elvinger, Dr.med.vet., Ph.D., dipl. ACVPM&ECVPH

Faculty member

Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences

Professor, Executive Director of the Animal Health Diagnostic Center & Associate Dean for Diagnostic Operations and Government Relations

ANIMAL HEALTH DIAGNOSTIC CENTER

Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Ithaca, NY 14853

Office: 607.253.4271
Fax: 607.253.3627
Email: fe65@cornell.edu

Education

  • Veterinarian - 1981 Tierärztliche Hochschule, Hannover, Germany
  • Dr.med.vet. - 1983 Tierärztliche Hochschule, Hannover, Germany
    [Dissertation title: Prevalence of infection with Streptococcus agalactiae (Lancefield Group B streptococci) and Analysis of Related Hygiene Factors in Dairy Herds]
  • Ph.D. – 1990 Dairy Science, University of Florida
    [Dissertation title: Immunomodulation by Heat Stress and Bovine Somatotropin in Dairy Cattle; Relevance for the Epidemiology of Mastitis]

Biography/Professional Experience

  • 1981 – 1983 Mixed animal practice in Germany and Luxembourg (temporary, during preparation of Dr.med.vet. dissertation); 9 months in practice of Dr. Albert Huberty, Roedgen, Luxembourg
  • 1983 – 1985 Research and Teaching Associate, Institute for Milk Hygiene and Technology, Hannover Veterinary School, Germany
  • 1986 – 1990 Graduate Research Assistant, Dairy Science Department, University of Florida
  • 1990 – 1997 Assistant / Associate (7/1995) Professor of Veterinary Epidemiology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia
  • 1997– 2006 Coordinator, Study Design and Statistical Support Laboratory, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech
  • 1997– 2015 Professor (Associate Professor, promoted 2008) of Veterinary Epidemiology, Large Animal Clinical Sciences Department, then Population Health Sciences Department, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech
  • 2005– 2015 Director, Veterinary Public Health Program, (since 2010) Virginia Tech Public Health Program
  • 2009– 2015 Professor (secondary appointment), Department of Basic Sciences, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
  • 2010– 2015 Head, Department of Population Health Sciences
  • 2014– 2015 Member, Virginia Tech Faculty of Health Sciences
  • 2015 – Present Professor, Epidemiology, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences
    Executive Director, Animal Health Diagnostic Center and New York State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
    Associate Dean, Diagnostic Operations & Government Relations
    College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University

Publications

  1. Elvinger F, Head HH, Wilcox CJ, Natzke RP, Eggert RG. Effects of administration of bovine somatotropin on milk yield and composition. J Dairy Sci 1988;71:1515-1525
  2. Brown MB, Shearer JK, Elvinger F. Mycoplasmal mastitis in a dairy herd. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1990;196:1097-1101
  3. Elvinger F, Hansen PJ, Natzke RP. Modulation of function of bovine polymorphonuclear leukocytes and lymphocytes by elevated temperatures in vitro and in vivo. Am J Vet Res 1991;52:1692-1698
  4. Elvinger F, Hansen PJ, Head HH, Natzke RP. Actions of bovine somatotropin on polymorphonuclear leukocytes and lymphocytes in cattle. J Dairy Sci 1991;74:2145-2152
  5. Elvinger F, Hansen PJ, Littell RC, Natzke RP. Analysis of somatic cell count data by a peak evaluation algorithm to determine inflammation events. J Dairy Sci 1991;74:3396-3406
  6. Elvinger F, Hansen PJ, Natzke RP. Interactions of heat stress and bovine somatotropin on physiology and immune function of lactating cows. J Dairy Sci 1992;75:449-462
  7. Elvinger F, Liggett AD, Tang KN, Harrison LR, Cole JR, Baldwin CA. Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus infection in Swine. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1994;205:1014-1016
  8. Elvinger F, Reeves DE, Pursell AR, Cole JR, Liauw H. Antibody titers to pseudorabies virus in piglets immunized with gIII deleted pseudorabies vaccine in a pseudorabies infected herd. Vet Microbiol 1994;42:341-348
  9. Elvinger F, Baldwin CA, Liggett AD, Tang KN, Dove CR. Protection of pigs by vaccination of pregnant sows against eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus. Vet Microbiol 1996;51:229-239
  10. Elvinger F, Baldwin CA, Liggett AD, Tang KN, Stallknecht DE. Prevalence of exposure to eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus in domestic and feral swine in Georgia. J Vet Diagn Invest 1996;8:481-484
  11. Hines ME, Cray C, Elvinger F, Altman NH. Macrophage Inhibitory Factor - A3 (MIF-A3), a glycolipid compound derived from Mycobacterium avium serovar 2, inhibits candidacidal activity of elicited murine peritoneal macrophages. Vet Microbiol 1996;53:295-302
  12. Shin SS, Elvinger F, Prestwood AK, Cole JR. Exposure of swine to Trichinella spiralis antigen as determined by consecutive ELISAs and western blot. J Parasitol 1997;83:430-433
  13. Hullinger GA, Cole JR, Elvinger F, Stewart RL. Dermatophytosis in show lambs. Vet Dermatol 1999;10:73-76
  14. Friday PA, Scarratt WK, Elvinger F, Timoney PJ, Bonda A. Outbreak of ataxia and paresis due to equine herpesvirus type I infection in a herd of riding school horses. J Veterin Intern Med 1999;14:197-201
  15. Leininger DJ, Roberson JR, Elvinger F. Use of eosin methylene blue agar to differentiate Escherichia coli from other gram-negative mastitis pathogens. J Vet Diagn Invest 2001;13:273-275
  16. Meng XJ, Wiseman B, Elvinger F, Guenette DK, Toth TE, Engle RE, Emerson SU, Purcell RH. Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus in veterinarians working with swine and in normal blood donors in the United States and other countries. J Clin Microbiol 2002;40:117-122
  17. Altekruse SA, Elvinger F, DebRoy C, Pierson FW, Eifert JD, Sriranganathan N. Pathogenic and fecal Escherichia coli strains from turkeys in a commercial operation. Avian Dis 2002;46:562-569
  18. Altekruse SA, Elvinger F, Lee KY, Tollefson LK, Pierson FW, Eifert JD, Sriranganathan N. Antimicrobial susceptibilities of Escherichia coli strains from a turkey operation. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2002;221:411-416
  19. Gaydos JK, Davidson WR, Elvinger F, Mead DG, Howerth EW, Stallknecht DE. Innate resistance to epizootic hemorrhagic disease in white-tailed deer. J Wildl Dis 2002;38:713-719
  20. Gaydos JK, Davidson WR, Howerth EW, Murphy M, Elvinger F, Stallknecht DE. Cross-protection between epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus serotypes 1 and 2 in white-tailed deer. J Wildl Dis 2002;38:720-728
  21. Huang FF, Haqshenas G, Shivaprasad HL, Guenette DK, Woolcock PR, Larsen CT, Pierson FW, Elvinger F, Toth TE, Meng XJ. Heterogeneity and seroprevalence of the newly identified avian hepatitis E virus from chickens in the United States. J Clin Microbiol 2002;40:4197-4202
  22. Ramirez M, Ernst S, Elvinger F, Rivera A, Rosenfeld C. Respuesta serológica y tiempo de saneamiento en rebaños bovinos con brucelosis vacunados con Cepa 19 o Cepa RB-51; Xa Región, Chile. Arch Med Veterin 2002;34:213-220
  23. Leininger DJ, Roberson JR, Elvinger F, Ward D, Akers RM. Evaluation of frequent milkout for treatment of cows with experimentally induced Escherichia coli mastitis. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2003;222:63-66.
  24. Dietz RE, Hall JB, Whittier WD, Elvinger F, Eversole DE. Effects of feeding supplemental fat to beef cows on cold tolerance in newborn calves. J Anim Sci 2003;81:885-894
  25. Wolf KN, Elvinger F, Pilcicki JL. Infrared triggered photography and tracking plates to monitor oral rabies vaccine contact by raccoons in culverts. Wildlife Soc Bull 2003;31:387-391
  26. Brown JD, Sleeman JM, Elvinger F. Epidemiologic determinants of aural abscessation in free-living eastern box turtles (Terrapene Carolina) admitted to the Wildlife Center of Virginia. J Wildl Dis 2003;39:918-921
  27. Buechner-Maxwell VA, Elvinger F, Thatcher CD, Murray MJ, White NA Rooney DK. Physiological Response of Normal Adult Horses to a Low Residue Liquid Diet. J Eq Veterin Sci 2003;23:310-317
  28. Altekruse SF, Elvinger F, Wang Y, Ye K. A model to estimate the optimal sample size for microbiological surveys. Applied and  Environmental Microbiology 2003;69:6174-6178
  29. Fenaux M, Opriessnig T, Halbur PG, Elvinger F, Meng XJ. A Chimeric Porcine Circovirus (PCV) with the Immunogenic Capsid Gene of the Pathogenic PCV2 Cloned Into the Genomic Backbone of the Non-Pathogenic PCV1 Induces Protective Immunity Against PCV2 Infection in Pigs. J Virol 2004;78:6297-6303
  30. Hancock K, Zajac AM, Elvinger F, Lindsay DS. Prevalence of agglutinating antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in raccoons (Procyon lotor) from an urban area of Virginia. J Parasitol 2004;90:881-882
  31. Fenaux M, Opriessnig T, Halbur PG, Elvinger F, Meng XJ. Two Amino Acid Mutations in the Capsid Protein of Type 2 Porcine Circovirus (PCV2) Enhanced PCV2 Replication In Vitro and Attenuated the Virus In Vivo. J Virol 2004;78:13440-13446
  32. Hancock K, Zajac AM, Pung OC, Elvinger F, Lindsay DS. Prevalence of antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi in raccoons (Procyon lotor) from an urban area of Northern Virginia. J Parasitol 2005;91:470-472
  33. Billam P, Huang FF, Sun ZF, Pierson FW, Duncan RB, Elvinger F, Guenette DK, Toth TE, Meng XJ. Systematic pathogenesis and replication of a strain of avian hepatitis E vrus in specific-pathogen-free adult chickens. J Virol, 2005 79:3429-3437
  34. Hancock K, Thiele LA, Zajac AM, Elvinger F, Lindsay DS. Prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in raccoons (Procyon lotor) from an urban area of northern Virginia. J Parasitol 2005;91:694-695
  35. McKeown NE, Opriessnig T, Thomas P, Guenette DK, Elvinger F, Fenaux M, Halbur PG, Meng XJ. Effects of type 2 porcine circovirus (PCV2) maternal antibodies on experimental infection of piglets with PCV2. Clin Diagn LabImmunol, 2005;12:1347-1351
  36. Karpuzoglu-Sahin E, Fenaux JB, Lengi A, Phillips R, Elvinger F, Senaldi G, Ahmed SA. Estrogen upregulates IFN- -dependent iNOS gene expression, nitric oxide and COX-2 in splenocytes activated with T cell stimulants. Endocrinol, 2005 Nov 17; [Epub] – 2006;147:662-671
  37. Lucas AS, Swecker WS, Lindsay DS, Scaglia G, Elvinger FC, Zajac AM. The effect of weaning method on coccidial infections in beef calves. Vet Parasitol 2007;145:228-233
  38. Dyer JG, Sriranganathan N, Nickerson SC, Elvinger F. Curli production and genetic relationships among Escherichia coli from cases of bovine mastitis. J Dairy Sci 2007;90:193-201
  39. Elvinger F, Akey BL, Senne DA, Pierson FW, Porter-Spalding BA, Spackman E, Suarez DL. Characteristics of diagnostic tests used in the 2002 low pathogenicity avian influenza H7N2 outbreak in Virginia. J Vet Diagn Invest 2007;19:341-348
  40. Broadwater JJ, Schorling JJ, Herring IP, Elvinger F. Effect of body position on intraocular pressure in non-glaucomatous dogs. Am J Vet Res 2008;69:527-530
  41. Stone AB, Hautala JA, …, Elvinger F, … (21 Panelists). Meeting Report: Panel on the Potential Utility and Strategies for Design and Implementation of a National Companion Animal Infectious Disease Surveillance System. Zoonoses Public Health 2008;55:378-384
  42. Harris MC, Schorling JJ, Herring IP, Elvinger F, Bright PR, Pickett JP. Ophthalmic examination findings in a colony of Screech owls (Megascops asio). Vet Ophthalmol 2008;11:186-92.
  43. Paige CF, Abbott JA, Elvinger F, Pyle RL. Prevalence of cardiomyopathy in apparently healthy cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2009;234:1398-403
  44. Christmann U, Hite RD, Witonsky SG, Elvinger F, Werre SR, Thatcher CD, Tan RH, Buechner-Maxwell VA. Influence of age on surfactant isolated from healthy horses maintained on pasture. J Vet Intern Med 2009;23:612-618
  45. Kagan IA, Kirch BH, Thatcher CD, Strickland JR, Teutsch CD, Elvinger F, Pleasant RS. Seasonal and diurnal variation in simple sugar and fructan composition of orchardgrass pasture and hay in the Piedmont region of the United States. J Eq Vet Sci 2011;31;488-497
  46. Kagan IA, Kirch BH, Thatcher CD, Teutsch CD, Elvinger F, Pleasant RS. Seasonal and diurnal changes in starch content and sugar profiles of bermudagrass in the Piedmont region of the United States. J Eq Vet Sci 2011;31:521-529
  47. Gross J, Elvinger F, Hungerford LL, Gehrt SD. Raccon use of the urban matrix in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area, Maryland. Urban Ecosyst 2011; DOI 10.1007/s11252-011-0218-z; 2012;15:667–682
  48. Thatcher CD, Pleasant RS, Geor RJ, Elvinger F. Prevalence of Overconditioning in Mature Horses in Southwest Virginia during the Summer. J Vet Intern Med 2012;26:1413–1418
  49. Pleasant RS, Suagee JK, Thatcher CD, Elvinger F, Geor RJ. Adiposity, plasma insulin, leptin, lipids, and oxidative stress in mature light breed horses. J Vet Intern Med 2013;27(3):576-82. doi: 10.1111/jvim.12056. Epub 2013 Mar 20
  50. Lucas AS, Swecker WS, Lindsay DS, Scaglia G, Neele JPS, Elvinger FC, Zajac AM. 2014. A study of the level and dynamics of Eimeria populations in naturally infected, grazing beef cattle at various stages of production in the Mid-Atlantic USA. Vet Parasitol dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.02.053
  51. Baltasar P, Milton S, Swecker W, Elvinger F, Ponder M. Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Distribution and Characterization in a Pasture-Based Cow-Calf Production System. J Food Prot 2014;77:722-731
  52. Evans NP, Evans RD, Regalado J, Sullivan JF, Dutta V, Elvinger F, Pierson FW. Preharvest Salmonella Detection for Evaluation of Fresh Ground Poultry Product Contamination. J Food Prot 2015;78:1266-1271
  53. Cossaboom CM, Heffron CL, Cao D, Yugo DM, Houk-Miles AE, Lindsay DS, Zajac AM, Bertke AS, Elvinger F, Meng XJ. Risk factors and sources of foodborne hepatitis E virus infection in the United States. J Med Virol. 2016 Feb 17. doi: 10.1002/jmv.24497

Awards and Honors

  • USDA APHIS Administrator’s 2007 Award for Animal Health, US Animal Health Association. October 21, 2007. Reno, Nevada
  • USDA APHIS VS Certificate of Appreciation, November 2009. Dr. John Clifford, VS Deputy Administrator

Professional/Academic Affiliations

  • American Veterinary Medical Association
  • American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians
  • United States Animal Health Association