Dr Michael Walsh
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Dr Michael Walsh

Senior Lecturer Infectious Diseases Epidemiology
Sydney School of Public Health
Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases
Co-Lead One Health Node
Dr Michael Walsh

Michael Walsh is a landscape epidemiologist with the Sydney School of Public Health and the Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases. He is interested in the complex ecologies of zoonotic pathogens and their interaction with hosts, vectors, and environments to shape risk. As such, he combines methods from spatial and infectious disease epidemiology with applications of biogeography, community ecology, and landscape ecology to employ transdisciplinary One Health approaches to zoonosis inference, prediction, surveillance, and prevention. Michael is particularly interested in the ways in which interactions between wildlife, domesticated animals, and humans in anthropogenic landscapes facilitate pathogen spillover from primary reservoir hosts to novel hosts. Michael has 25 years’ experience as an epidemiologist and is currently investigating zoonoses at the wildlife-livestock-human interface in India, and zoonotic arbovirus and other wildlife pathogen spillover in Australia. Michael has taught infectious disease epidemiology and epidemiological methods for 21 years on the faculties of New York University, the State University of New York, Downstate, and, currently, at the University of Sydney.

1. Landscape epidemiology

2. One Health

3. Disease ecology

4. Zoonotic diseases

5. Arthropod-borne infections

6. Wildlife-livestock-human interface

7. Urban ecology, the built environment, and human social inequity

Semester 1 teaching:

PUBH5400 One Health

Semester 2 teaching:

PUBH5300 Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Short courses:

1. Infectious disease epidemiology

2. Landscape epidemiology

3. Spatial methods

4. One Health

1. One Health zoonotic disease biosurveillance at the wildlife-livestock-human interface in India

2. Zoonotic arbovirus epidemiology and infection ecology in eastern Australia

3. Habitat fragmentation and climate change impacts on zoonoses

Infection and Immunological Conditions
Project titleResearch student
Prediction and prevention of Japanese encephalitis in AustraliaTroy LAIDLOW

Publications

Journals

  • Levesque, Z., Walsh, M., Webb, C., Zadoks, R., Brookes, V. (2024). A scoping review of evidence of naturally occurring Japanese encephalitis infection in vertebrate animals other than humans, ardeid birds and pigs. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 18(10), e0012510. [More Information]
  • Dhanze, H., Singh, B., Walsh, M., Kumar, M., Kumar, A., Bhilegaonkar, K., Brookes, V. (2024). Spatio-temporal epidemiology of Japanese encephalitis virus infection in pig populations of eastern Uttar Pradesh, India, 2013–2022. Zoonoses and Public Health. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M., Webb, C., Brookes, V. (2023). An evaluation of the landscape structure and La Nina climatic anomalies associated with Japanese encephalitis virus outbreaks reported in Australian piggeries in 2022. One Health, 16, 100566-1. [More Information]

2024

  • Levesque, Z., Walsh, M., Webb, C., Zadoks, R., Brookes, V. (2024). A scoping review of evidence of naturally occurring Japanese encephalitis infection in vertebrate animals other than humans, ardeid birds and pigs. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 18(10), e0012510. [More Information]
  • Dhanze, H., Singh, B., Walsh, M., Kumar, M., Kumar, A., Bhilegaonkar, K., Brookes, V. (2024). Spatio-temporal epidemiology of Japanese encephalitis virus infection in pig populations of eastern Uttar Pradesh, India, 2013–2022. Zoonoses and Public Health. [More Information]

2023

  • Walsh, M., Webb, C., Brookes, V. (2023). An evaluation of the landscape structure and La Nina climatic anomalies associated with Japanese encephalitis virus outbreaks reported in Australian piggeries in 2022. One Health, 16, 100566-1. [More Information]
  • Beardsley, J., Chambers, J., Lam, T., Zawahir, M., Le, H., Nguyen, T., Walsh, M., Thuy Van, P., Cam Van, N., Hoang, T., Fox, G., et al (2023). Mapping access to drug outlets in Vietnam: distribution of drug outlets and the sociodemographic characteristics of the communities they serve. The Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific, 30. [More Information]

2022

  • Walsh, M., Pattanaik, A., Vyas, N., Saxena, D., Webb, C., Sawleshwarkar, S., Mukhopadhyay, C. (2022). A biogeographical description of the wild waterbird species associated with high-risk landscapes of Japanese encephalitis virus in India. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 69(5), e3015-e3023. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M., Pattanaik, A., Vyas, N., Saxena, D., Webb, C., Sawleshwarkar, S., Mukhopadhyay, C. (2022). High-risk landscapes of Japanese encephalitis virus outbreaks in India converge on wetlands, rain-fed agriculture, wild Ardeidae, and domestic pigs and chickens. International Journal of Epidemiology, 51(5), 1408-1418. [More Information]

2021

  • Duong Nu, T., Le, T., Tran, K., Nguyen, P., Nguyen, B., Nguyen, T., Nguyen, H., Nguyen, B., Fisher, M., Rhodes, J., Fox, G., Chen, S., Walsh, M., Barrs, V., Talbot, J., Halliday, C., Sorrell, T., Beardsley, J., et al (2021). Azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus is highly prevalent in the environment of Vietnam, with marked variability by land use type. Environmental Microbiology, 23(12), 7632-7642. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M., Bhat, R., Nagarajan, V., Narayanan, P., Vyas, N., Sawleshwarkar, S., Mukhopadhyay, C. (2021). Low mammalian species richness is associated with Kyasanur Forest disease outbreak risk in deforested landscapes in the Western Ghats, India. One Health, 13, 100299. [More Information]
  • Piraveenan, M., Sawleshwarkar, S., Walsh, M., Zablotska-Manos, I., Bhattacharyya, S., Farooqui, H., Bhatnagar, T., Karan, A., Murhekar, M., Zodpey, S., Pattison, P., Zomaya, A., et al (2021). Optimal governance and implementation of vaccination programmes to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Royal Society Open Science, 8(6), 210429. [More Information]

2020

  • Walsh, M., Mor, S., Maity, H., Hossain, S. (2020). A preliminary ecological profile of Kyasanur Forest disease virus hosts among the mammalian wildlife of the Western Ghats, India. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 11(4), 101419. [More Information]
  • Annand, E., Reid, P., Johnson, J., Gilbert, G., Taylor, M., Walsh, M., Ward, M., Wilson, A., Degeling, C. (2020). Citizens' juries give verdict on whether private practice veterinarians should attend unvaccinated Hendra virus suspect horses. Australian Veterinary Journal, 98(7), 273-279. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M., Mor, S., Hossain, S. (2020). Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) Landscape Suitability Varies by Wetland Habitats and the Degree of Interface between Wild Waterfowl and Poultry in India. Viruses, 12(11). [More Information]

2019

  • Simpson, K., Mor, S., Ward, M., Walsh, M. (2019). Divergent geography of Salmonella Wangata and Salmonella Typhimurium epidemiology in New South Wales, Australia. One Health, 7, 1-9. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M. (2019). Ecological and life history traits are associated with Ross River virus infection among sylvatic mammals in Australia. BMC Ecology, 19(1), 1-8. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M., Mor, S., Maity, H., Hossain, S. (2019). Forest loss shapes the landscape suitability of Kyasanur Forest disease in the biodiversity hotspots of the Western Ghats, India. International Journal of Epidemiology, 48(6), 1804-1814. [More Information]

2018

  • Walsh, M., Willem De Smalen, A., Mor, S. (2018). Climatic influence on anthrax suitability in warming northern latitudes. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 1-9. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M., Webb, C. (2018). Hydrological features and the ecological niches of mammalian hosts delineate elevated risk for Ross River virus epidemics in anthropogenic landscapes in Australia. Parasites and Vectors, 11(1), 1-11. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M., Mor, S. (2018). Interspecific network centrality, host range and early-life development are associated with wildlife hosts of Rift Valley fever virus. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 65(6), 1568-1575. [More Information]

2017

  • Walsh, M., Wiethoelter, A., Haseeb, M. (2017). The impact of human population pressure on flying fox niches and the potential consequences for Hendra virus spillover. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 1-13. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M., Amstislavski, P., Greene, A., Haseeb, M. (2017). The Landscape Epidemiology of Seasonal Clustering of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) in Domestic Poultry in Africa, Europe and Asia. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 64(5), 1465-1478. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M., Willem De Smalen, A., Mor, S. (2017). Wetlands, wild Bovidae species richness and sheep density delineate risk of Rift Valley fever outbreaks in the African continent and Arabian Peninsula. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 11(7), 1-16. [More Information]

2015

  • Afshinnekoo, E., Meydan, C., Chowdhury, S., Jaroudi, D., Boyer, C., Bernstein, N., Maritz, J., Reeves, D., Walsh, M., et al (2015). Geospatial Resolution of Human and Bacterial Diversity with City-Scale Metagenomics. Cell Systems, 1(1), 72-87. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M. (2015). Mapping the risk of Nipah virus spillover into human populations in South and Southeast Asia. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 109(9), 563-571. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M., Haseeb, M. (2015). Modeling the ecologic niche of plague in sylvan and domestic animal hosts to delineate sources of human exposure in the western United States. PeerJ, 2015 (12), e1493. [More Information]

2014

  • Xie, Q., Wang, H., Heilman, E., Walsh, M., Haseeb, M., Gupta, R. (2014). Increased expression of enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2) differentiates squamous cell carcinoma from normal skin and actinic keratosis. European Journal of Dermatology, 24(1), 41-45. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M. (2014). Rat sightings in New York City are associated with neighborhood sociodemographics, housing characteristics, and proximity to open public space. PeerJ, 2014 (1), e533. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M., Haseeb, M. (2014). Small-area estimation of the probability of toxocariasis in New York City based on sociodemographic neighborhood composition. PloS One, 9(6), 1-8. [More Information]

2013

  • Martello, L., Wadgaonkar, R., Gupta, R., Machado, F., Walsh, M., Mascareno, E., Tanowitz, H., Haseeb, M. (2013). Characterization of Trypanosoma cruzi infectivity, proliferation, and cytokine patterns in gut and pancreatic epithelial cells maintained in vitro. Parasitology Research, 112(12), 4177-4183. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M. (2013). Forest Fragmentation and Risk of Giardiasis in New York State. EcoHealth, 10(4), 405-414. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M. (2013). The relevance of forest fragmentation on the incidence of human babesiosis: investigating the landscape epidemiology of an emerging tick-borne disease. Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 13(4), 250-255. [More Information]

2012

  • Walsh, M. (2012). Assessing Q fever in a representative sample from the United States population: identification of a potential occupational hazard. Epidemiology and Infection, 140(1), 42-46. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M., Haseeb, M. (2012). Reduced cognitive function in children with toxocariasis in a nationally representative sample of the United States. International Journal for Parasitology, 42(13-14), 1159-1163. [More Information]
  • Walsh, M. (2012). The Role of Hydrogeography and Climate in the Landscape Epidemiology of West Nile Virus in New York State from 2000 to 2010. PloS One, 7(2), 1-6. [More Information]

2011

  • Walsh, M. (2011). Toxocara infection and diminished lung function in a nationally representative sample from the United States population. International Journal for Parasitology, 41(2), 243-247. [More Information]

Selected Grants

2018

  • A biosurveillance incubator for zoonoses at the human-animal interface in South India, Walsh M, Mor S, Sawleshwarkar S, Office of Global Engagement/India Development Fund

2017

  • ARC Training Centre for Food Safety in the Fresh Produce Industry - IC160100025, Carter D, McConchie R, Bell T, Jones B, Phan-Thien K, Van Ogtrop F, Deaker R, Wilson N, Evans B, Bowman J, Sintchenko V, Walsh M, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Industrial Transformation Training Centres (ITTC)