Sarah Michaels

Sarah Michaels is a medical entomologist with a focus in vector-borne disease. Her background is in arbovirus surveillance, vector control, operational research and community outreach. Dr. Michaels gained experience in public health practice as an Entomologist at the City of New Orleans Mosquito Control Board and an Infectious Disease Epidemiologist at the Louisiana Office of Public Health. Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, she was active in the public health response to provide emergency infectious disease surveillance. Prior to joining the faculty at Tulane, she was a Lecturer at the Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases in the Entomology Department at Cornell University. She has trained professionals, students and the public in vector biology and mentored many student practicum projects. Dr. Michaels is interested in supporting cooperative research projects and enhancing local field opportunities for students. She is particularly interested in assessing arboviral disease transmission potential and the impact of natural disasters, health disparities, and neighborhood resilience.

Research Areas

• Arbovirus transmission ecology
• Vectorborne disease epidemiology & control practices
• Medical entomology

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (2008 — 2017)
• Master of Science (MS) Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (1998 — 1999)
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) University of Rochester (1994 — 1998)
• Westhill High School (1990 — 1994)

Companies

• Clinical Assistant Professor Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (2019)
• Course Developer eCornell (2019 — 2020)
• Lecturer Cornell University (2018 — 2019)
• Entomologist City of New Orleans (2011 — 2018)
• Lab Coordinator, Dr. Dawn Wesson Tulane University (2006 — 2011)
• Research Scientist New York State Department of Health (2006 — 2006)
• Epidemiologist, West Nile virus Surveillance Coordinator State of Louisiana, Department of Health & Hospitals (2002 — 2006)
• Research Assistant OHSU | Oregon Health & Science University (2000 — 2002)

Publications

• Sallam MF, Michaels SR, Riegel C, Pereira RM, Zipperer W, Lockaby BG, Koehler PG. Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Vector-Host Contact (VHC) Ratios and Ecological Niche Modeling of the West Nile Virus Mosquito Vector, Culex quinquefasciatus, in the City of New Orleans, LA, USA. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2017 Aug 8;14(8). doi: 10.3390/ijerph14080892. PubMed PMID: 28786934;

• Moudy RM, Michaels S, Jameson SB, Londono B, Lopez V, Caillouet KA, Hallmark CJ, Davis JK, Foppa IM, Dorn PL, Wesson DM. Factors associated with peridomestic Triatoma sanguisuga (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) presence in southeastern Louisiana. J Med Entomol. 2014 Sep;51(5):1043-50. doi: 10.1603/me13234. PubMed PMID: 25276935.

• Caillouët KA, Michaels SR, Xiong X, Foppa I, Wesson DM. Increase in West Nile neuroinvasive disease after Hurricane Katrina. Emerg Infect Dis. 2008 May;14(5):804-7. doi: 10.3201/eid1405.071066. PubMed PMID: 18439367; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2600257.

• Jamison SC, Michaels SR, Ratard R, Sweet JM, Deboisblanc BP. A 41-year-old HIV-positive man with acute onset of quadriplegia after West Nile virus infection. South Med J. 2007 Oct;100(10):1051-3. doi: 10.1097/SMJ.0b013e318153f076. PubMed PMID: 17943056.

• Straif-Bourgeois S, Sokol TM, Balsamo G, Hall S, Weed N, Krishna N, Thomas A, Michaels S, Islam Z, Ratard RC. Hurricane Katrina's impact on infectious disease surveillance. J La State Med Soc. 2006 May-Jun;158(3):136-40. PubMed PMID: 16886834.

• O'Leary DR, Kuhn S, Kniss KL, Hinckley AF, Rasmussen SA, Pape WJ, Kightlinger LK, Beecham BD, Miller TK, Neitzel DF, Michaels SR, Campbell GL, Lanciotti RS, Hayes EB. Birth outcomes following West Nile Virus infection of pregnant women in the United States: 2003-2004. Pediatrics. 2006 Mar;117(3):e537-45. doi: 10.1542/peds.2005-2024. PubMed PMID: 16510632.

• Michaels SR, Balsamo GA, Kukreja M, Anderson C, Straif-Bourgeois S, Talati G, Ratard RC. Surveillance for West Nile virus cases in Louisiana 2001-2004. J La State Med Soc. 2005 Sep-Oct;157(5):269-72. PubMed PMID: 16374972.

• Balsamo G, Michaels S, Sokol T, Lees K, Mehta M, Straif-Bourgeois S, Hall S, Krishna N, Talati G, Ratard R. West nile epidemic in louisiana in 2002. Ochsner J. 2003 Summer;5(3):13-5. PubMed PMID: 21765763; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3111823.

• McCauley LA, Michaels S, Rothlein J, Muniz J, Lasarev M, Ebbert C. Pesticide exposure and self reported home hygiene: practices in agricultural families. AAOHN J. 2003 Mar;51(3):113-9. PubMed PMID: 12670098.