Chika C. Okafor, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVPM (Epidemiology)

Associate Professor

Biography

Chika C. Okafor, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVPM is a Pre-harvest Food Safety Epidemiologist. His research is primarily focused on identifying patterns of antimicrobial use/resistance in veterinary medicine. He has utilized his expertise in both qualitative and quantitative epidemiological methods as well as statistical analysis of large datasets to understand/prevent animal diseases (e.g., bovine anaplasmosis) and pre-harvest food safety issues (colibacillosis, salmonellosis) associated with use of antibiotics. He has published extensively in respected referred journals on antimicrobial use practices in livestock and on diseases that drive the increased use of antimicrobials in cattle. His long-term goal is to improve stewardship of antimicrobial use in food animals and veterinary medicine. Before joining UT, Dr. Okafor received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Nigeria, his Master of Science in Food Safety and PhD in Epidemiology both from Michigan State University, and did a post-doctoral fellowship in Nutritional Epidemiology at the University of Guelph, Canada. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and also has a specialty board certification in Epidemiology from the same college.

Curriculum Vitae

Please visit Chika Okafor's College of Veterinary Medicine directory entry.

Education

• DACVPM (Epi) - American College of Preventive Medicine -  2015
• DACVPM - American College of Preventive Medicine - 2014
• Post-doc - University of Guelph, Nutritional Epidemiology - 2011 - 2014
• PhD - Michigan State University, Epidemiology - 2011        
• MS - Michigan State University, Food Safety - 2008      
• DVM - University of Nigeria, Veterinary Medicine - 2003      

Publications

Ekakoro, J.E., Caldwell, M., Strand, E. B., Strickland, L. and Okafor, C.C.^† (2019). A survey of antimicrobial use practices of Tennessee beef producers. BMC Vet Res, 15:222. (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-019-1978-6).

Nystrom, M., Odunayo, A.^‡, and Okafor, C.C.^‡ (2019). Assessment of hydromorphone and dexmedetomidine for emesis induction in cats. J Vet Emergency and Critical Care (https://doi.org/10.1111/vec.12866).

Ekakoro, J.E., Caldwell, M., Strand, E. B., and Okafor, C.C.^† (2019). Perceptions of Tennessee cattle producers regarding the Veterinary Feed Directive. Plos One (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217773).

Okafor, C.C., Collins S.L., Daniel J.A., Coetzee J.F. and Whitlock, B.K. (2019). Factors associated with seroprevalence of bovine anaplasmosis in Mississippi, USA. Vet. Parasitol. Regnl. Stud. Rep. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2019.100301).

Ekakoro, J.E., Caldwell, M., Strand, E. B., and Okafor, C.C.^† (2019). Drivers, alternatives, knowledge, and perceptions towards antimicrobial use among Tennessee beef cattle producers: A qualitative study. BMC Vet Res, 15:16. (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-018-1731-6).

Okafor, C.C., Collins S.L., Daniel J.A., Coetzee J.F. and Whitlock, B.K. (2019). Seroprevalence of bovine anaplasmosis in Georgia. Vet. Parasitol. Regnl. Stud. Rep. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2018.100258).

Ekakoro, J.E., Caldwell, M., Strand, E. B., and Okafor, C.C.^† (2018). Drivers of antimicrobial use practices among Tennessee dairy cattle producers. Veterinary Medicine International. (https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/1836836).

Okafor, C.C., Pearl, D.L., Blois, S.L., Lefebvre, S.L., Yang, M., Lund, E.M., and Dewey, C.E. (2018). Factors associated with hematuric struvite crystalluria in cats. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1098612X18809176).

Ekakoro, J.E, and Okafor, C.C.^† (2018). Antimicrobial use practices of veterinary clinicians at a veterinary teaching hospital in the United States. Veterinary and Animal Science (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vas.2018.09.002).

Okafor, C.C., Collins S.L., Daniel J.A., Harvey B., Coetzee J.F. and Whitlock, B.K. (2018). Factors associated with seroprevalence of bovine anaplasmosis in Texas. Vet. Parasitol. Regnl. Stud. Rep. 14, 32-40.

Okafor, C.C., Collins S.L., Daniel J.A., Harvey B., Sun X., Coetzee J.F. and Whitlock, B.K. (2018). Factors associated with seroprevalence of Anaplasma marginale in Kentucky cattle. Vet. Parasitol. Regnl. Stud. Rep. 13, 212-219.

Odunayo, A., Tobias, K., Okafor, C.C.*, and Flatland, B. (2017). Comparison of native whole blood, EDTA whole blood, and plasma ammonia concentrations using a point-of-care ammonia meter. Am J Vet Res, Vol 78, No 11, 1239-1244.

• Contributed in the study design.

Cox, S., Bailey^, J., Okafor, C.C.*, Seddighi^, R., Doherty^, T. (2017). The influence of storage time and temperature on Propofol concentrations in canine blood and plasma. Peer J 5:e3476. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3476.

Okafor, C.C., Strickland, L.G., Jones, B.M., Kania, S., Anderson, D.E. and Whitlock, B.K. (2017). Prevalence of Tritrichomonas foetus in Tennessee Bulls. Vet Parasitol, Vol 243, 169-175.