Carlos David Ayala Velasteguí

(he/him/his)
PhD student
carlos.ayala at uga.edu

David is from Quito, Ecuador. He studied at Universidad Central del Ecuador, where he obtained his undergraduate degree as a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry practitioner. Then, he came to UGA with the objective of getting a Masters degree in Comparative Biomedical Sciences, but his journey changed, and currently he is pursuing a PhD in the same area of research. In his free time, he likes to swim, hike, and play video games.

Fun Fact: “I have a dog, and his name is Banjo. Yes, like the musical instrument.”

Education and Training

BS: Zootechnical Veterinary Doctor. Universidad Central del Ecuador. Quito, Ecuador.

Publications

Cason, E. E., Reina, M., Ayala-Velasteguí, D., & Shariat, N. W. (2025). Sampling method influences Salmonella detection and quantification in pre-harvest commercial broiler production. Poultry science, 104(5), 104963.

Ayala-Velastegui, D., Peralvo-Vidal, J., Madril, K., Mayorga, A. (2022). Feed supplements in pig farming as an alternative to antibiotics. AlfaPublicaciones 4(3), 39-65.

Molina-Cuasapaz, G., de Janon, S., Larrea-Álvarez, M., Fernández-Moreira, E., Loaiza, K., Šefcová, M., Ayala-Velasteguí, D., Mena, K., Vinueza Burgos, C., & Ortega-Paredes, D. (2022). An Online Pattern Recognition-Oriented Workshop to Promote Interest among Undergraduate Students in How Mathematical Principles Could Be Applied within Veterinary Science. Sustainability. 14(11), 6768.

Šefcová, M. A., Ortega-Paredes, D., Larrea-Álvarez, C. M., Mina, I., Guapás, V., Ayala-Velasteguí, D., Leoro-Garzón, P., Molina-Cuasapaz, G., Vinueza-Burgos, C., Revajová, V., Larrea-Álvarez, M. (2023). Effects of Lactobacillus fermentum Administration on Intestinal Morphometry and Antibody Serum Levels in Salmonella-Infantis-Challenged Chickens. Microorganisms. 11(2), 256.

Presentations

Characterization of multiserovar Salmonella populations recovered from two rivers in Ecuador (poster). International Association for Food Protection. July 2025. Cleveland, OH.

Control strategies for limiting Salmonella in broiler production. Pilgrim’s Pride Broiler Technicians Workshop. January 2025. Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Athens, GA.

Nanopore amplicon sequencing as an alternative for characterizing Salmonella complex serovar populations (poster). International Poultry Scientific Forum. January 2025. Atlanta, GA.
Won 1st place for SCAD Poster Presentation

Determination of Salmonella complex populations from environmental samples (talk). Southeastern Branch – American Society of Microbiology. September 2024. Tampa, FL.
Won Travel Grant Award

Use of Nanopore amplicon sequencing for Salmonella deep serotyping (poster). Department of Population Health Graduate Student Research Symposium. August 2024. Athens, GA.

Multiplex Nanopore amplicon sequencing for Salmonella serotyping (poster). Southeastern Branch – American Society of Microbiology. November 2023. Auburn, AL. 

Unexpected high prevalence of fosfomycin resistance mediated by fosA3 in Escherichia coli ESBL isolated from poultry farms, broiler carcasses, and humans in Quito, Ecuador (poster). European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. April 2022, Lisbon.

Awards

  • 1st place for SCAD Poster Presentation at the International Poultry Scientific Forum. January 2025.
  • Recipient of Travel Grant Award. Southeastern Branch of the American Society for Microbiology. September 2024.
  • Recipient of Travel Grant Award. European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Lisbon, Portugal. April, 2022.