Dr Swaid Abdullah

My research interests include understanding the ecology and epidemiology of the parasites and parasitic diseases. I am interested in understanding how climate change and human intervention are going to affect the ecology and epidemiology of the parasites and associated diseases; as the global climate is changing and humans are pushing their boundaries of habitation and recreation into wilderness.

I work on the ticks and tick-borne pathogens of Pet and farm Animals in UK. I have been identifying tick send to me by Vet Practices all over UK and Wales, mapping their distribution and currently anlysing them for Borrelia, Babesia and Anaplasma pathogens. I am also interested in the ecology of Ixodes ricinus ticks in UK and effect of environmental variables on its questing behaviour.

I am currently collaborating with researchers from Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia, to study the different species of ticks and tick-borne diseases prevalent in specific areas of Saudi Arabia, funded by the Saudi collaborators. My current post-doctoral research is a study of abundance of fleas in the UK and the pathogens they carry, funded by MSD Animal Health.