Michael Drebot

Director, Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens Division

Applied and basic research involving the study of viral zoonotic and vector-borne pathogens

Current research and/or projects

Dr. Drebot’s research focuses on the study of zoonotic and vector-borne pathogens such as West Nile virus, dengue virus, Jamestown Canyon virus and hantaviruses. His current research initiatives include the development and application of diagnostic platforms for enhancing surveillance for emerging mosquito-borne pathogens.

Research and/or project statements

Initiated successful collaborations with both internationally and nationally recognized laboratories
Consults research groups, provincial health officials, various government agencies, and the public with regard to zoonotic disease and emerging pathogens
Provided leadership in developing recommendations and programs for the application of innovative laboratory technologies, case definitions, enhanced surveillance, taxonomic proposals, and the investigation of infectious diseases of national and international health importance
Supports colleagues at ZDSP & collaborators on research programs for various zoonotic / vector- borne disease agents including arboviruses, rodent-borne pathogens, priondiseases, and high containment pathogens

Professional activities / interests

Member of several emerging vector borne disease committees such as CATMAT Zika virus subcommittee, International bunyavirus taxonomy subcommittee, National West Nile virus and other mosquito – borne arboviruses working group, Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness Chikungunya, O'nyong-nyong, and Mayaro virus (MAYV) Working Group
Reviewer of papers submitted to journals such as Emerging Infectious Diseases, American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Clinical Infectious Diseases, etc.
Member of several graduate student supervisory committees

Education and awards

Education:

Post Doc certificate Genetics, University of Toronto – Hospital for Sick Children, 1991

Ph.D. Microbiology, Dalhousie University, 1988

M.Sc. Microbiology, Dalhousie University, 1983

B.Sc. (Hon.) Biology, Dalhousie University, 1980

Awards:

Associate Professor with full voting privileges Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease, University of Manitoba, 2017

Public Health Agency of Canada Excellence in Management Award, 2013

Public Health Agency of Canada Research Merit Award, 2009

Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee Medal, 2002

International experience and/or work

Continues collaborative activities with CDC, WHO, and Global working groups (see above) on emerging vector-borne diseases.

Key publications

Miernyk KM, Bruden D, Parkinson AJ,(…), Drebot MA, Priest JW, Pappert R, Petersen JM, Teshale E, Hennessy TW, Bruce MG. Human Seroprevalence to 11 Zoonotic Pathogens in the U.S. Arctic, Alaska. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2019 Feb 21.

https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2018.2390

Al-Fifi YSY, Kadkhoda K, Drebot M, Wudel B, Bow EJ. The First Case Report of West Nile Virus-Induced Acute Flaccid Quadriplegia in Canada Case Rep Infect Dis. 2018 Jul 15; 2018: 4361706.

https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4361706

Uehlinger FD, Wilkins W, Godson DL, Drebot MA, Can Vet J. Seroprevalence of Cache Valley virus and related viruses in sheep and other livestock from Saskatchewan, Canada 2018 Apr;59(4):413-418

Vosoughi R, Walkty A, Drebot MA, Kadkhoda K. Jamestown Canyon virus meningoencephalitis mimicking migraine with aura in a resident of Manitoba. CMAJ. 2018 Mar 5;190(9):E262-E264.

https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.170940z

Tyler S, Tyson S, Dibernardo A, Drebot M, Feil EJ, Graham M, Knox NC, Lindsay LR, Margos G, Mechai S, Van Domselaar G, Thorpe HA, Ogden NH. Whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of strains of the agent of Lyme disease Borrelia burgdorferi from Canadian emergence zones Sci Rep. 2018 Jul 12;8(1):10552.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-28908-7

Basile AJ, Goodman C, Horiuchi K (…), Drebot M, Safronetz D, Schiffer J. Multi-laboratory comparison of three commercially available Zika IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. J Virol Methods. 2018 Oct;260:26-33. Epub 2018 Jun 30.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jviromet.2018.06.018

Patriquin G, Drebot M, Cole T, Lindsay R, Schleihauf E, Johnston BL, Dimitrova K, Traykova-Andonova M, Mask A, Haldane D, Hatchette TF. High Seroprevalence of Jamestown Canyon Virus among Deer and Humans, Nova Scotia, Canada. Emerg Infect Dis. 2018 Jan;24(1):118-121.

https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2401.170484

Carson PK, Holloway K, Dimitrova K, Rogers L, Chaulk AC, Lang AS, Whitney HG, Drebot MA, Chapman TW. The Seasonal Timing of Snowshoe Hare Virus Transmission on the Island of Newfoundland, Canada. J Med Entomol. 2017 May 1;54(3):712-718.

https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjw219

Canada, 2015. Webster D, Dimitrova K, Holloway K, Makowski K, Safronetz D, Drebot MA. California Serogroup Virus Infection Associated with Encephalitis and Cognitive Decline Emerg Infect Dis. 2017 Aug; 23(8):1423-1424.

https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2308.170239

Drebot MA. Emerging mosquito-borne bunyaviruses in Canada. Can Commun Dis Rep. 2015 Jun 4;41(6):117-123.

https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v41i06a01