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Professor Richard Whittington

Professor Richard Whittington

JL Shute Building CO1
425 Werombi Road
Camden NSW 2570
Phone: +61 2 9351 1619
Fax: +61 2 9351 1618
Email:

Qualifications

BVSc MACVSc (Pathobiology) PhD

Professional Distinctions

  • Ian Clunies Ross Award 2002, Australian College of Veterinary Scientists for contributions to veterinary research
  • Specialist registration in Veterinary Pathobiology

Teaching Areas

  • Ruminant Health & Production
  • Aquaculture Health & Production (proposed)
  • Veterinary Microbiology
  • Animal Husbandry 1B
  • Post Graduate Course: Veterinary Public Health Management

Administration

Chair Farm Animal Health

Research

Microbiology, epidemiology and pathobiology of infectious diseases of farmed animals; also fisheries and wildlife. Current major research focus on Johne's disease, which is caused by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis

Research Interests

Richard graduated with a BVSc from The University of Sydney and spent several years in small and mixed animal practice on the NSW south coast and in the United Kingdom before undergoing training with NSW Agriculture in Veterinary Pathology. Following five years as a diagnostic pathologist Richard commenced full time research at the Veterinary Research Station, Glenfield and Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, working mainly in microbiology, virology and immunology of economically significant diseases of sheep and fish, and completed a PhD on the immunology of Dichelobacter nodosus infection in sheep at the University of Sydney.

Richard currently leads research on the pathobiology of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, the cause of Johne's disease in ruminants, and infectious diseases of finfish and wildlife including the platypus. There is increasing research activity in biosecurity, import risk analysis for aquatic animal health, and the impact of viral infections on conservation of threatened aquatic finfish species. Studies involve epidemiology, vaccine development for D.nodosus infection in sheep, functional analysis and molecular studies of viruses and bacteria, immune responses and pathology in individual animals and animal populations. Better understanding of host-pathogen interactions will lead to development of improved diagnostic tests, vaccines and other disease control strategies. This research is conducted at Camden in newly built infectious diseases laboratories and involves a large and dynamic group of young scientists, post graduate students and support staff. Richard teaches in veterinary public health, microbiology, pathology and ruminant and aquatic animal health, and Chairs the new post graduate coursework program in Veterinary Public Health Management.

Contribution to the Profession and the Community

OIE International Reference Laboratory for Epizootic
Haematopoietic Necrosis Virus infection of finfish

Selected Publications

  1. Whittington RJ, Marsh IB, Whitlock RH (2001). Typing of IS1311 polymorphisms confirms that Bison (Bison bison) with paratuberculosis in Montana are infected with a strain of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis distinct from that occurring in cattle and other domesticated livestock. Molecular and Cellular Probes 15: 139-145.
  2. Sergeant ESG, Whittington RJ, Moore S (2001). Sensitivity and specificity of pooled faecal culture and serology as flock screening tests for detection of ovine paratuberculosis in Australia. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 52: 199-211.
  3. Kennan RM, Dhungyel OP, Whittington RJ, Egerton JR, Rood JI (2001). The type IV fimbrial subunit gene (fimA) of Dichelobacter nodosus is essential for virulence, protease secretion and natural competence. Journal of Bacteriology 183: 4451-4458.
  4. Eppleston J, Whittington RJ (2001). Isolation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. parauberculosis from the semen of rams with clinical Johne's disease. Australian Veterinary Journal 79: 776-777.
  5. Whittington RJ, Connolly JH, Obendorf DL, Emmins J, Grant TR, Handasyde KA (2002). Serological responses against the pathogenic dimorphic fungus Mucor amphibiorum in populations of platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) with and without ulcerative mycotic dermatitis. Veterinary Microbiology 87:59-71.
  6. Marsh IB, Whittington RJ, O'Rourke B, Hyatt AD, Chisholm O (2002). Rapid differentiation of Australian, European and American ranaviruses based on variation in major capsid protein sequence. Molecular and Cellular Probes 16: 137-151.
  7. Ghimere SC, Whittington RJ, Dhungyel OP, Joshi HD, Egerton JR (2002). Diagnosis of footrot in goats: application of ELISA tests for response to antigens of Dichelobacter nodosus. Veterinary Microbiology 87: 237-251
  8. Dhungyel OP, Whittington RJ and Egerton JR (2002). Serogroup specific single and multiplex PCR with pre-enrichment culture and immuno-magnetic bead capture for identifying strains of D. nodosus in sheep with footrot prior to vaccination. Molecular and Cellular Probes 16: 285-296.
  9. Kennan R, Dhungyel O, Whittington RJ, Egerton JR, Rood JI (2002). Transformation-mediated serogroup conversion of Dichelobacter nodosus. Veterinary Microbiology (in press)
  10. Whittington RJ, Marsh IB, Taylor PJ, Marshall J, Taragel C, Reddacliff LA (2002). Isolation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis from environmental samples collected from farms before and after destocking sheep with paratuberculosis. Australian Veterinary Journal (in press)