Associate Professor
Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology
College of Veterinary Medicine
Department of Entomology
College of Agriculture
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506
Phone: 785 532 4731, Fax: 785 532 6232

Education:
BS. (1987) Mendel Agricultural University, Brno, CZ
Ph.D. (1998) University of Alberta, Edmonton, CA
Postd. Res. Assoc. (1999-2002) North Carolina State University, Raleigh

Specialization and Areas of Research Interest

Research program in our laboratory is oriented in three main directions:
a) ecology of zoonotic and food-borne pathogens in agricultural and urban environments with special focus on antibiotic resistant strains
b) gastro-intestinal microbial ecology of mammals and insects
c) insect-microbial interactions and development of novel microbially-based strategies for insect pest management

    We are working primarily with enterococci and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. The main interests include the origins, reservoirs, and horizontal transfer of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes among bacteria. We ask questions on how and why some innocuous environmental bacterial strains acquire specific traits that make them clinically important.
    The gastro-intestinal tract of mammals and insects is an ideal habitat for large and diverse microbial communities with great potential for horizontal gene transfer. Using an insect model, we study the effect of diet, antibiotic treatments, antibiotic resistant strains, and pre- and pro-biotics on the community structure and flow of mobile genetic elements in the microbiota of the mammalian colon.
     Development and survival of some insects, such as larvae of muscoid flies, strictly depends on an active microbial community in the natural habitat (e.g. animal and human feces and other decomposing organic substrates). We are interested in a better understanding of this insect - bacterial association with the overall goal to develop novel insect pest management strategies.

Research Team
Thais Albuquerque (Ph.D. student), M.S. University of Sao Pãulo, Brazil (2007 - present)
Deepti Pillai (Ph.D. student), M.S. Nagpur Veterinary College, India (2008 - present)
Carl W. Doud (Ph.D. student), M.S. Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK (2008 - present)
Anuradha Ghosh (Postd. Res. Assoc.), Ph.D. Inst. of Microb. Technol., Chandigarh, India (2008 - present)
Michael Haden (Undergraduate student research assistant), (2009 - present)
Kale Lothamer (Undergraduate student research assistant), (2009 - present)

Past Members
M. Jahangir Alam, Postdoctoral Research Associate: (2003 - 2005)
(currently, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX)
Alvaro Romero, MS. student: (2003 - 2005)
(currently, Ph.D. student, University of Kentucky, Lexington)
Seemanti Chakrabarti, Ph.D. student: (2002 - 2005)
(currently, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of California - Riverside)
Justin Talley, Ph.D. student: (2003 -2006)
(currently, Assistant Professor, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater)
Furaha W. Mramba, Ph.D. Student, (2003 - 2006)
(currently, Researcher in the Tanzanian Government)
Mastura (Luna) Akhtar, Ph.D. Student, (2004 - 2008)
(currently, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Minnesota, St. Paul)
Aqeel Ahmad, Postdoctoral Res. Associate, (2004 - 2008)
(currently, Research Entomologist, Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO)
Lilia Macovei, Postdoctoral Res. Associate), (2005 -2008)
(currently, Postdoctoral Res. Associate, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Boston, MA)
Lakshmikantha H. Channaih (Ph.D. student), M.S., Univ. of Agric. Sci., Dharwad, India (2005 - 2009) (currently, Postdoctoral Res. Associate, Dept. of Grain Science and Industry, K-State, Manhattan, KS)

Selected Publications

Akhtar, M., H. Hirt, and L. Zurek* (2009). Horizontal transfer of the tetracycline resistance gene tetM mediated by pCF10 among Enterococcus faecalis in the house fly alimentary canal. Microbial Ecology
58: 509-518.

Macovei, L., A. Ghosh, V. Thomas, L. Hancock, S. Mahmood, and L. Zurek* (2009).  Enterococcus faecalis with the gelatinase phenotype regulated by the fsr-operon and with biofilm forming capacity are common in the agricultural environment. Environmental Microbiology 11: 154-1547.

Nagulalally, S.R., A. Ahmad, A. Henry, G.L. Marchin, L. Zurek, and A. Bhandari (2009). Occurrence of ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and vancomycin resistant bacteria in a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Water Environment Research 80: 82-90.

Anderson, J.F., T.D. Parrish, M. Akhtar, L. Zurek, and H. Hirt (2008). Antibiotic resistance of enterococci in American bison (Bison bison) from a nature preserve compared to that of enterococci in pastured cattle. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 74: 1726-1730.

Larson, Z., B. Subramanyam, L. Zurek, and T. Herrman (2008). Diversity and antibiotic resistance of enterococci associated with stored-product insects collected form feed mills. Journal of Stored Product Research 44: 198-203.

Macovei, L., B. Miles, and L. Zurek* (2008). The potential of house flies to contaminate ready-to-eat food with antibiotic resistant enterococci. Journal of Food Protection 71: 432-439.

Christen, J.M., J.F. Campbell, L. Zurek, D.I. Shapiroo-Ilan, E.E. Lewis, and S.B. Ramaswamy (2008). Role of symbiotic and non-symbiotic bacteria in carbon dioxide production from hosts infected with Steinernema riobrave. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 99: 35-42.

Macovei, L. and L. Zurek* (2007). Influx of enterococci and associated antibiotic resistance and virulence genes from ready-to-eat food to the human digestive tract. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 73: 6740-6747.

Mramba, F., A. Broce, and L. Zurek* (2007). Vector competence of stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans L. (Diptera: Muscidae) for Enterobacter sakazakii. Journal of Vector Ecology 32: 134-139.

Ahmad, A., T.G. Nagaraja, and L. Zurek* (2007). Transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to cattle by house flies. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 80: 74-81.

Ahmad A. and L. Zurek* (2006). Evaluation of the anti-terminator Q933 gene as a marker for Escherichia coli O157:H7 with high Shiga toxin production. Current Microbiology 53: 324-328.

Alam M.J. and L. Zurek* (2006). Seasonal prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in beef cattle feces. Journal of Food Protection 69: 3018-3020.

Sanderson MW, J.M. Sargeant, X. Shi, T.G. Nagaraja, L. Zurek, M.J. Alam (2006). Longitudinal emergence and distribution of Escherichia coli O157 genotypes in a beef feedlot.  Applied and Environmental Microbiology 72: 7614-7619.

Macovei L. and L. Zurek* (2006). Ecology of antibiotic resistance genes: Characterization of enterococci from houseflies collected in food settings. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 72: 4028-4035.

Ahmad A., A. Broce, and L. Zurek * (2006) Significance of bacteria in development of the secondary screwworm, Cochliomyia macellaria. Journal of Medical Entomology 43: 1129-1133.

Romero A.,  A. Broce, L. Zurek* (2006). Role of bacteria in oviposition behavior and larval development of stable flies. Medical and Veterinary Entomology 20: 115-121.

Sirigireddy K.R., Kennedy G.A., Broce A., L. Zurek, R R Ganta. (2006). High prevalence of West Nile virus in Kansas: An increased risk in acquiring infection from a mosquito bite. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 6: 351-360.

Mramba F., A. Broce, and L. Zurek* (2006). Isolation of Enterobacter sakazakii from stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans L.). Journal of Food Protection  69: 671-673

Alam M.J. and L. Zurek* (2004). Association of Escherichia coli O157:H7 with house flies (Musca domestica) on a cattle farm. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 70: 7578-7580.

Zurek L.* and C. Schal (2004). Evaluation of the German cockroach (Blattella germanica) as a vector for verotoxigenic Escherichia coli F18 in confined swine production. Veterinary Microbiology 101: 263-267.

Chakrabarti S., S. Kambhampati, T. Grace, and L. Zurek* (2004). Characterization of microsatellite loci of the house fly, Musca domestica. Molecular Ecology Notes 4: 728-730.

Gemeno C., L. Zurek, and C. Schal. (2004). Control of the Herpomyces (Ascomycetes: Laboubeniales) infection of wood cockroaches, Parcoblatta lata (Blattaria: Blattelidae), with benomyl. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 85: 132-135.

Trexler J.D., C.S. Apperson, L. Zurek, C. Gemeno, C. Schal, M. Kaufman, E.D. Walker, D.W. Watson, and L. Wallace (2003) Role of bacteria in mediating the oviposition responses of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae). Journal of Medical Entomology 40: 841-848.

Fan Y., L. Zurek , M.J. Dykstra, and C. Schal (2003). Hydrocarbon synthesis by enzymatically dissociated oenocytes of the abdominal integument of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica. Naturwissenschaften 90: 121-126.

Zurek L.*, D.W. Watson, and C. Schal (2002). Synergism between the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae, and boric acid against the German cockroach, Blattella germanica. Biological Control  23: 296-302.

Zurek L.*, S.B. Krasnoff, D.W. Watson, and C. Schal (2002). Effect of the entomopathogenic fungus, Entomophthora muscae (Zygomycota: Entomophthoraceae) on sex pheromone and other cuticular hydrocarbons of the house fly, Musca domestica . Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 80: 171-176.

Barbieri E., B.J. Paster, D. Hughes, L. Zurek, D.P. Moser, A. Teske, and M.L. Sogin (2001). Phylogenetic characterization of epibiotic bacteria in the accessory nidamental gland and the egg capsules of the squid Loligo paelei (Cephalopoda: Loliginidae). Environmental Microbiology 3:151-167.

Zurek L.*, Denning S.S., Schal C., and D.W. Watson (2001). Vector competence of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) for Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Journal of Medical Entomology 38: 333-336.

Dugas J.E., Zurek L., Paster B.P., Keddie B.A., and E.R. Leadbetter (2001). Isolation and characterization of the Chryseobacterium strain from the gut of the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana. Archives of Microbiology 175: 259-262.

Zurek L.* Schal C., and D.W. Watson (2000). Diversity and contribution of the gastrointestinal bacterial community to the development of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) larvae. Journal of Medical Entomology 37: 924-928.

Zurek L.* and B.A. Keddie (1998). Significance of methanogenic symbionts for development of the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana. Journal of Insect Physiology 44: 645-651.

Zurek L.* and B.A. Keddie (1996). Contribution of the colon and colonic anaerobic bacterial flora to the metabolism and development of the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana L. Journal of Insect Physiology 42: 743-748. 

II.    Pest Management

Talley J., A. Broce, and L. Zurek* (2009). Characterization of the stable fly (Diptera: Muscidae) larval developmental habitat at round hay bale feeding sites. Journal of Medical Entomology 46: (in press).

Ahmad, A. and L. Zurek* (2009). Evaluation of metaflumizone granular bait for management of house flies. Medical and Veterinary Entomology 23: 167-169.

Ahmad A., B. Subramanyam, and L. Zurek  (2007). Responses of mosquitoes and German cockroaches to ultrasound emitted from a random ultrasonic generating device. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata  123: 25-33.

Broce A.B., L. Zurek, J.A. Kalisch, R. Brown, D.L. Leith, D. Gordon, J. Goedeke, C. Welbourn, J. Moser, R. Ochoa, E. Baumgartner, F. Yip, and J. Weber (2006). Pyemotes herfsi (Acari: Pyemotidae), a mite new to North America causing bite outbreaks. Journal of Medical Entomology 43: 610-613. 

Gore J.C., L. Zurek, R.G. Santangelo, S.M. Stringham, D.W. Watson, and C. Schal (2004).  Water solutions of boric acid and sugar for management of German cockroach populations in livestock production systems. Journal of Economic Entomology 97: 715-720.

Zurek L.*, J.C. Gore, M.S. Stringham, D.W. Watson, M.G. Waldvogel, and C. Schal (2003). Boric acid dust as a component of an integrated cockroach management program in confined swine production. Journal of Economic Entomology 96: 1362-1366.

Watson D.W., S.S. Denning, L. Zurek, S.M. Stringham, and J Elliot. (2003). Effects of lime hydrate on the development of the darkling beetle, Alphitobius diaperinus. International Journal of Poultry Science 2: 91-96.

Zurek L.* and B.A. Keddie (2000). Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Viullemin - a promising biological control agent of the satin moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae). Biocontrol Science and Technology 10: 641-644.

III.    Book Chapters

Zurek, L*. and J.R. Gorham (2008).  Insects as vectors of foodborne pathogens. In “Wiley Handbook of Science and Technology for Homeland Security”.  (Edited by  J.G. Voeller), John Wiley & Sons Inc. (16 pages)

Gorham, J.R. and L. Zurek (2006).  Arthropods, filth and other foreign objects in food. pp: 74/1 - 74/28. In Handbook of Food Sciences Technology and Engineering. (Edited by Y.H. Hui), CRC Press, New York, NY.