Patricia Dorn, Ph.D.

Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Loyola University New Orleans
6363 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70118
tel 504.865.3672
fax 504.865.2920
e-mail dorn@loyno.edu

 
Headshot of Dr. Dorn in 2010
Recent Publications  
   
My laboratory is focused on the control of Chagas disease, a leading cause of heart disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan parasite. Our current focus is the population genetics of the parasite vector, Triatoma dimidiata, in Central America and Mexico. Much of this work has been done in collaboration with the Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Parasitology (LENAP), headed by Dra. Carlota Monroy at the University of San Carlos in Guatemala. In addition, in 2006 we identified the first locally-acquired human case in Louisiana and are investigating the Chagas transmission cycle in the southern U.S. including T. cruzi infection prevalence in the insect vector (Triatoma sanguisuga), non-human primates, dogs and wild animals and the phylogeny and population structure of U.S. triatomines.
 
2008-present
Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, LA

2000-2008

Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, LA
1994-2000 Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, LA
2006-present Adjunct Associate Professor, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
2007-present Adjunct Associate Professor, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA
2007-present Adjunct Associate Professor, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA
1992-1994 Visiting Assistant Professor, Biology Dept., Hope College, Holland, MI
1989-1992 Postdoctoral Fellow in Molecular Parasitology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
1989
 Ph.D., Molecular Biology and Virology, Zoology Dept., University of Maryland, College Park, MD
1980
 B.A., Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA
   
Complete CV
Current Courses  
Biol A100 Biology Freshman Seminar
Biol A107
 Cells and Heredity Lab
Biol A300 & A301
Microbiology Lecture & Lab
Biol Z136
Genetics and Society (upper level, non-majors course)

Research

Population Genetics of Triatoma dimidiata

Chagas Disease in a Primate Colony

PCR diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi
Dra. Carlota Monroy and Dr. Y. Tabaru Information about Chagas Disease in the U.S.
Recent Publications (*=undergraduate researcher)
Stevens, L., Dorn, P.L., Schmidt, J.O., Klotz, J.H., Lucero, D., Klotz, S.A. Kissing Bugs: The Vectors of Chagas. Adv. Parasitol. 75 (2011) 165-188. Invited book chapter.  
Cesa, K., K. Caillouët, P. Dorn, D.Wesson. “High Trypanosoma cruzi Prevalence in Triatoma sanguisuga (Reduviidae: Triatominae) in Southeastern Louisiana,” J Med Entomol. (2011) (In press).  
J.O. Schmidt, Stevens, L., Dorn, P., Mosbacher, M., Klotz, J., Klotz, S. “Kissing Bugs in the United States”. The Kansas School Naturalist. (ISBN0022-877X) 57 (2011) 15 pp. Monograph.  
Dumonteil, E., F. Tripet, S. Gourbière, and P.L. Dorn. “Genetics and evolution of Triatomines: from phylogeny to vector control.” Invited review article for Heredity. In press  
Dorn, P.L., François Noireau, Elliot S. Krafsur, Gregory C. Lanzaro, and A. J. Cornel. “Chapter 18: ‘Genetics of Insect Vectors’”. Genetics and Evolution of Infectious Disease (ISBN: 978-0-12-384890-1), edited by Michel Tibayrenc, Editor-in-Chief. (2011) 772 pp. Invited book chapter.  
de la Rua*, N., L. Stevens, P.L. Dorn. “High genetic diversity in a Triatoma sanguisuga population in New Orleans,” Infect Genet Evol. 11 (2011) 671-677.  
Monteiro, F., P. Marcet, and Dorn, P.L., Senior Author. “Chapter VIII: Population Genetics of Triatomines”. In American Trypanosomiasis Chagas Disease – One Hundred Years of Research (ISBN: 978-0-12-384876-5) edited by J. Telleria and M. Tibayrenc. (2010) 870pp.  Invited book chapter.  
Stephen A. Klotz, Patricia Dorn, Justin O. Schmidt, and John H. Klotz “Kissing bugs are a household nightmare”, Pest Management Professional, 78 (2010) 49-52.  
Klotz, J.H., Dorn, P.L., Logan, J.L., Stevens, L., Pinnas, J.L., Schmidt, J.O., and Klotz, S.A. “Kissing Bugs”: Potential Disease Vectors and Cause of Anaphylaxis”, Clin Infect Disease, 50 (2010) 1629-34.  
Herrera-Aguilar, M., L. Be-Barragán, M. Ramirez-Sierra, F. Tripet, P.L. Dorn, and E. Dumonteil, Ph.D. Identification of a large hybrid zone between sympatric sibling species of Triatoma dimidiata in the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico, and its epidemiological importance. Infection, Genetics and Evolution 9 (2009) 1345-51.  

Nieto PD, Boughton R, Dorn PL, Steurer F, Raychaudhuri S, Esfandiari J, Gonçalves E, Diaz J, Malone JB (2009). Comparison of two immunochromatographic assays and the indirect immunofluorscence antibody test for diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in dogs in south central Louisiana. Veterinary Parasitology 165 (2009) 241-7.

  

P. L. Dorn, C. Calderon, S. Melgar, B. Moguel, E. Solorzano, E. Dumonteil, A. Rodas, N. de la Rua, R. Garnica, C. Monroy (2009) Two distinct Triatoma dimidiata (Latreille, 1811) Taxa are Found in Sympatry in Guatemala and Mexico. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 3(3): e393.

S. A. Klotz, P. L. Dorn, J.H. Klotz, J. L. Pinnas, C. Weirach, J. R. Kurtz, J. Schmidt
“Feeding behavior of Triatomines from the Southwestern United States: An Update on Potential Risk for Transmission of Chagas Disease”. Acta Tropica, 111: 114-118.

  

JK Blackburn, A Curtis, F Currin Mujica, F Jones, P Dorn, and R Coates (2008) The Development of the Chagas’ Online Data Entry System (CODES-GIS), Transactions in GIS 12(2):249-265.

  

S. S. Pineda, S. Melgar, P.  Dorn, E. Agreda, A. Rodas and C. Monroy (2008)
 Salivary proteins profiles distinguish Triatomine species and populations of Triatoma dimidiata (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), J. Med. Entomol., 45(1): 52-58.

  

Dorn, PL, C Monroy, A Curtis (2007) T. dimidiata: A Review of its Diversity across its Geographic Range and the Relationship among Populations, Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 7:343-352.

  

Dorn, PL, L Perniciaro*, MJ Yabsley, DM Roellig, G Balsamo, J Diaz, D Wesson (2007) Autochthonous Transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi, Louisiana, Emerging Infectious Diseases, 13: 605-607.

Melgar, S; JJ Chávez, P Landaverde, F Herrera, A Rodas, E Enríquez, P Dorn, C Monroy (2007) Number of families of Triatoma dimidiata in a Guatemalan house, Mem Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 102:221-223.

Dorn, P, P. Buekens, E. Hanford (2007) Whac-a-mole: future trends in Chagas transmission and the importance of a global perspective on disease control, Future Microbology 2(4): 365-367 (Invited editorial).

  

S. S. Pineda, S. Melgar, P.  Dorn, E. Agreda, A. Rodas and C. Monroy
Salivary proteins profiles distinguish Triatomine species and populations of Triatoma dimidiata (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), J. Med. Entomol 45(1): 52-58

  

Dorn, PL; S Melgar , C Combe, A Rodas, C Monroy. (2004) Analysis of Microsatellite markers for population genetic studies of the Chagas disease vector, Triatoma dimidiata . Infection, Genetics & Evolution suppl. 2005.

Calderón, C I; PL Dorn , S Melgar, J J Chávez, A Rodas, R Rosales, C M. Monroy. (2004) A preliminary assessment of genetic differentiation of Triatoma dimidiata, (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in Guatemala by RAPD-PCR J. Med. Entomol. 41:882 – 887.

Dorn, PL , S Melgar, V Rouzier*, A Gutierrez*, C Combe*, R Rosales, A Rodas, S Kott*, D Salvia*, C. M. Monroy (2003) The Chagas Vector, Triatoma dimidiata (Hemiptera:Reduviidae), is Panmictic Within and Among Adjacent Villages in Guatemala . J. Med. Entomol. 40:436-440.

Dorn, PL , J Flores*, B Brahney*, A Gutierrez*, R Rosales, A Rodas, C Monroy. (2001) Comparison of Polymerase Chain Reaction on fresh tissue samples and fecal drops on filter paper for detection of Trypanosoma cruzi in Rhodnius prolixus . Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz 96:503-505.

Dorn, PL , D Engelke*, A Rodas, R Rosales, S Melgar, B Brahney*, J Flores *, and C Monroy. (1999) Utility of the Polymerase Chain Reaction in detection of Trypanosoma cruzi in Guatemalan Chagas vectors Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 60: 740-745.

 

Loyola University New Orleans
Department of Biological Sciences

last updated 8/26/2011

Copyright © 2001-2011 Dr. Patricia Dorn

The contents of this communication are the sole responsibility of Patricia Dorn and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of Loyola University New Orleans.