Heather D S Walden

Heather D S Walden,

Associate Professor – Parasitology

Department: Department of Comparative, Diagnostic & Population Medicine
Business Phone: (352) 294-4125
Business Email: hdstockdale@ufl.edu

About Heather D S Walden

Dr. Heather Walden’s research interests focus on parasitic disease, diagnosis and classical parasite biology. She has collaborated on several research projects throughout the United States, Mexico, Ecuador and The Galapagos Islands, Zambia and Senegal. She regularly works with zoonotic and non-zoonotic parasites of exotic and domestic hosts, as her training focuses on classical and molecular parasitology, including diagnostic procedures for a diversified parasite assemblage.

Additionally, Dr. Walden teaches parasitology to veterinary students in the first, third and fourth years of their curriculum, as well as gives parasite lectures in other VetMed courses. She actively trains veterinary, graduate and undergraduate students in her laboratory and is active in international and national veterinary parasitology organizations.

Related Links:

Accomplishments

Distinguished Veterinary Teacher of the Year
2016 · Zoetis
Byrd Dunn Award for Best Student Presentation
2008 · Southeastern Society of Parasitologists
Outstanding Graduate Student
2008 · Intervet/American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists
Best Graduate Student Presentation
2007 · Phi Zeta – Auburn University
Best Graduate Student Presentation
2007 · Bayer/American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists

Teaching Profile

Courses Taught
2010-2025
VEM5150 Vet Parasitology
2016-2023
VEM5311 Avian Med and Surgery
2011-2025
VEM5154 Large Anim Parasitol
2015-2018,2020-2021
VEM5893 Micro Parasit Serolog
2018-2025
VEM5991 Clkship Indiv Invest
2011,2013-2024
VEM5153 Small Anim Parasitol
2016-2024
VEM5370 Reptile Med and Surgery
2013,2017-2024,2024
VME6905 Problems in Veterinary Medical Sciences
2018
VME7979 Advanced Research
2023-2024
VME3002 The Cat Class
2024-2025
VME6934 Topics in Veterinary Medical Sciences

Research Profile

Research interests include zoonotic parasitic disease, diagnostic and classical parasite biology. Collaborations include studies on the epizootiology of parasites in domestic and exotic hosts, as well as diagnosis of internal and external parasites in all types of host species. Major host species include both wild and captive mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians. Current research involves host preference, transmission and geographic range of the rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis.

Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID)

0000-0002-5678-4938

Publications

2024
A nowcast model to predict outdoor flea activity in real time for the contiguous United States.
Parasites & vectors. 17(1) [DOI] 10.1186/s13071-023-06112-5. [PMID] 38254213.
2024
Comparison of sampling techniques and diagnostic tests for Cryptosporidium serpentis in eastern indigo snakes (Drymarchon couperi).
American journal of veterinary research. 85(10) [DOI] 10.2460/ajvr.24.05.0136. [PMID] 39116915.
2024
Proliferative strongyloidiasis in a colony of colubrid snakes.
Veterinary pathology. 61(1):109-118 [DOI] 10.1177/03009858231186391. [PMID] 37458163.
2024
Pterygodermatites (Mesopectines) whartoni (Nematoda: Rictulariidae) encysted larvae in invasive Cuban treefrogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis) from Florida, United States.
Frontiers in veterinary science. 11 [DOI] 10.3389/fvets.2024.1353975. [PMID] 38799723.
2023
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in dogs with Dirofilaria immitis.
Parasites & vectors. 16(1) [DOI] 10.1186/s13071-023-05649-9. [PMID] 37106412.
2023
Both Feline Coronavirus Serotypes 1 and 2 Infected Domestic Cats Develop Cross-Reactive Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain: Its Implication to Pan-CoV Vaccine Development.
Viruses. 15(4) [DOI] 10.3390/v15040914. [PMID] 37112894.
2023
IDENTIFICATION AND RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF A FILARIOID NEMATODE SPECIES IN MANAGED GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS (AMMODRAMUS SAVANNARUM).
Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine : official publication of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians. 53(4):755-768 [DOI] 10.1638/2021-0141. [PMID] 36640077.
2023
The invasive pentastome Raillietiella orientalis in a banded water snake from the pet trade.
Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc. 35(2):201-203 [DOI] 10.1177/10406387221147856. [PMID] 36600497.
2022
A NEW COCCIDIAN (APICOMPLEXA: EIMERIIDAE) IN THE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED CENTRAL AMERICAN RIVER TURTLE (DERMATEMYS MAWII) IN BELIZE.
The Journal of parasitology. 108(1):93-99 [DOI] 10.1645/21-44. [PMID] 35192694.
2022
Burden of anemia and intestinal parasites in farmers and family members and owned livestock in two geographic locations in Senegal before and during the rainy seasons.
One health (Amsterdam, Netherlands). 15 [DOI] 10.1016/j.onehlt.2022.100415. [PMID] 36277095.
2022
Estimating the dog population, responsible pet ownership, and intestinal parasitism in dogs in Quito, Ecuador
Journal of Shelter Medicine and Community Animal Health. [DOI] 10.56771/jsmcah.v1.6.
2022
Gastrointestinal Parasites of Farmed White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Florida
EDIS. 2022(5) [DOI] 10.32473/edis-uw498-2022.
2022
Infection with the fox lungworm (Crenosoma vulpis) in two dogs from New England – Two clinical reports and updated geographic distribution in North America.
Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports. 30 [DOI] 10.1016/j.vprsr.2022.100714. [PMID] 35431072.
2022
Rat Lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) in the Invasive Cuban Treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) in Central Florida, USA.
Journal of wildlife diseases. 58(2):454-456 [DOI] 10.7589/JWD-D-21-00140. [PMID] 35100414.
2021
Anemia and intestinal parasites in farmers and family members and sheep in two agro-ecological zones in Senegal.
One health (Amsterdam, Netherlands). 13 [DOI] 10.1016/j.onehlt.2021.100260. [PMID] 34307821.
2021
Angiostrongylus cantonensis (rat lungworm) in Florida, USA: current status
Parasitology. 148(2):149-152 [DOI] 10.1017/s0031182020001286.
2021
Detection of heartworm antigen without cross-reactivity to helminths and protozoa following heat treatment of canine serum
Parasites & Vectors. 14(1) [DOI] 10.1186/s13071-020-04573-6. [PMID] 33482897.
2021
Gastrointestinal entamoebiasis in captive anurans in North America.
Diseases of aquatic organisms. 143:109-118 [DOI] 10.3354/dao03560. [PMID] 33570044.
2020
Canine heartworm and heat treatment: An evaluation using a well based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and canine sera with confirmed heartworm infection status
Veterinary Parasitology. 283 [DOI] 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109169.
2020
Case Report: Invasive Pentastomes, Raillietiella orientalis (Sambon, 1922), in a Free-Ranging Banded Water Snake (Nerodia fasciata) in North Central Florida, USA.
Frontiers in veterinary science. 7 [DOI] 10.3389/fvets.2020.00467. [PMID] 32851040.
2020
HELMINTH FAUNA OF ICE SEALS IN THE ALASKAN BERING AND CHUKCHI SEAS, 2006-15.
Journal of wildlife diseases. 56(4):863-872 [DOI] 10.7589/2019-09-228. [PMID] 32502360.
2020
Subcutaneous nodules and dermatitis associated with non-immitis non-repens dirofilariosis morphologically consistent with Dirofilaria striata in a 2-year-old male domestic cat in Florida, USA.
The veterinary quarterly. 40(1):215-222 [DOI] 10.1080/01652176.2020.1814972. [PMID] 32838703.
2020
What is your diagnosis? Bile from a cat.
Veterinary clinical pathology. 49(2):354-355 [DOI] 10.1111/vcp.12840. [PMID] 32239738.
2019
Canine vector-borne disease: mapping and the accuracy of forecasting using big data from the veterinary community.
Animal health research reviews. 20(1):47-60 [DOI] 10.1017/S1466252319000045. [PMID] 31895020.
2018
Burden of exposure to infectious bursal disease virus, infectious bronchitis virus, Newcastle disease virus, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, and intestinal parasites in introduced broiler chickens on the Galapagos.
PloS one. 13(9) [DOI] 10.1371/journal.pone.0203658. [PMID] 30248128.
2018
Comparison of six commercial antigen kits for detection of Dirofilaria immitis infections in canines with necropsy-confirmed heartworm status.
Veterinary parasitology. 254:178-182 [DOI] 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.02.037. [PMID] 29657005.
2018
Dog overpopulation and diagnosis of intestinal parasites on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos 2016.
Preventive veterinary medicine. 157:99-104 [DOI] 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2018.06.003. [PMID] 30086856.
2018
From macrocosm to microcosm: The art and beauty of plant material and diatoms in sea urchin fecal cytology specimens.
Veterinary clinical pathology. 47(4):525-526 [DOI] 10.1111/vcp.12675. [PMID] 30500080.
2018
Intestinal parasites in Galapagos sea lions (Zalophus wollebaeki) Sivertsen, 1953 on San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos, Ecuador.
The Journal of parasitology. [DOI] 10.1645/17-187. [PMID] 30141720.
2017
Geographic distribution of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in wild rats (Rattus rattus) and terrestrial snails in Florida, USA
PLOS ONE. 12(5) [DOI] 10.1371/journal.pone.0177910. [PMID] 28542310.
2013
Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) with simultaneous intestinal Giardia sp., Spironucleus sp., and trichomonad infections.
Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc. 25(6):785-90 [DOI] 10.1177/1040638713505286. [PMID] 24081933.
2012
Kiricephalus coarctatus in an Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi); endoscopic removal, identification, and phylogeny.
The veterinary quarterly. 32(2):107-12 [DOI] 10.1080/01652176.2012.709952. [PMID] 22857002.
2012
Survival of a feline isolate of Tritrichomonas foetus in water, cat urine, cat food and cat litter.
Veterinary parasitology. 185(2-4):279-81 [DOI] 10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.11.003. [PMID] 22100399.

Education

Doctorate – Biomedical Sciences/Parasitology
2008 · Auburn University
Master of Science – Biology
2004 · Appalachian State University
Bachelor of Science – Biology
1999 · University of Kentucky

Contact Details

Phones:
Business:
(352) 294-4125
Emails:
Addresses:
Business Mailing:
DEPARTMENT OF COMPARATIVE, DIAGNOSTIC AND PO
PO BOX 100123
COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
GAINESVILLE FL 326100123