Dr Ter Apaa

  • Lecturer in Bioveterinary Science and module contributor for Veterinary Health and Disease, including zoonoses, epidemiology and One Health topics, bringing real-world research and veterinary experience into the classroom.
  • Alongside my academic role at Reading, I work as a Senior Scientist at APHA, contributing to research and surveillance on coronavirus and rabies, supporting national biosecurity.

Areas of interest

As a veterinarian and Senior Scientist at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), together with my academic role at Reading, my research interests centre on emerging infectious and zoonotic diseases of veterinary and public health importance, with a particular focus on pathogens of significance in tropical regions. I specialise in viral ecology and vector-borne infections, integrating molecular diagnostics, microbial bioinformatics, and epidemiology within a One Health framework. I am committed to translating cutting-edge research into teaching and training, inspiring the next generation of bioveterinary/veterinary scientists to address global health challenges.

Postgraduate supervision

I am open to supervising undergraduate and postgraduate students across a range of areas, including infectious and zoonotic diseases; vector-borne pathogens, especially tick associated disease; disease ecology and epidemiology; One Health integration; and microbial genomics and bioinformatics. I bring together expertise in molecular diagnostics, genomics, and bioinformatics, while encouraging critical thinking and interdisciplinary approaches to tackle emerging animal infectious and zoonotic diseases.

Teaching

I enjoy contributing to modules that explore the intersection of animal and human health, including Veterinary Health and Disease, which includes epidemiology, zoonoses and One Health. I also enjoy contributing to anatomy/physiology of domestic animals teaching. My teaching philosophy emphasises interactive learning, case-based discussions, and practical skills development to prepare students for careers in veterinary bioscience.

Background

I am a qualified veterinarian with a strong foundation in tropical veterinary medicine. After graduating, I practised briefly as a vet before moving into veterinary teaching in Nigeria

I undertook an MRes in Virology and a PhD in tick-borne pathogens at the University of Nottingham, UK, followed by postdoctoral research on coronaviruses in UK wildlife at Nottingham’s Veterinary School. My work at there led to the characterisation of canine parvovirus and tick-borne pathogens in Nigeria, identification of a sarbecovirus in UK lesser horseshoe bats, discovery of a novel minacovirus in stoats with potential for recombination with other coronaviruses, and the first report of novel caliciviruses in British wildlife.

I later joined the APHA, contributing to national tick and tick-borne disease surveillance and was the first complete genome assembly of Babesia divergens in the UK. I now combine my part-time academic role at Reading with a position as Senior Scientist in the Rabies and Viral Zoonoses group at APHA.

Academic qualifications

  • PhD ─ Veterinary Science, University of Nottingham.
  • MRes ─ Veterinary Virology, University of Nottingham
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) ─ University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State Nigeria.
  • Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA).

Awards and honours

  • Royal Society Global Talent Visa Award (Emerging Research Leader).
  • Vice Chancellor’s PhD Scholarship for Research Excellence, University of Nottingham.

Professional bodies/affiliations

  • Microbiology Society
  • Association for Veterinary Teaching and Research Work
  • UK International Coronavirus Network (ended 2025)
  • Veterinary Council of Nigeria

Websites/blogs

APHA’s Role in the Global Fight Against Rabies (2025): I contributed to an APHA Science Blog article highlighting cases of dog mediated rabies in UK travellers and the need for a collaborative effort to eliminate rabies globally. Read the blog → here.

Selected publications

  1. Apaa, T. T., Oke, P. O., Shima, F. K., Fidelis, G. A., Dunham, S., & Tarlinton, R. (2025). Canine Ticks, Tick-Borne Pathogens and Associated Risk Factors in Nigeria. Pathogens, 14(12), 1271. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14121271.
  2. Gandy, S.L., Brown, F.V., Jones, N.J., Biddlecombe, S.M., Johnston, C.J., Hansford, K.M., Vaux, A.G.C., Apaa, T.T., Johnson, N., Medlock, J.M. 2025. The role of large ungulate grazers on Ixodes ricinus and Borrelia in the New Forest - a case study for future rewilded landscapes. Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2025 Sep;16(5):102541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2025.102541.
  3. Apaa, T.T., Jones B.P., Blanchard A.M., Johnson N., 2025. Draft genomes of two contemporary strains of Babesia divergens. Microbiology Resource Announcements, 14(1), pp. e00898-24. https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.00898-24.
  4. Leverett, H., McFadzean, H., Apaa, T.T., & Johnson, N., 2025. Babesia Species Detected in Deer from Southwest England. Pathogens, 14(4), p.303. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14040303.
  5. Mansfield, K. L., González, E., Mckay, S., Apaa, T., Kent, A. J., Cropper, P., Berry, N., Hernández-Triana, L. M. & Johnson, N. 2024. Short Communication: Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. in ixodid ticks infesting red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Great Britain. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 15, 102401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102401.
  6. Hinds, J., Apaa, T., Parry, R., Withers, A. J., Mckenzie, L., Staley, C., Morrison, J., Bremner-Harrison, S., Bennett, M., Chadwick, E. A., Hailer, F., Harrison, S. W., Lambin, X., Loose, M., Mathews, F., Tarlinton, R., & Blanchard, A.2024. Multiple novel caliciviruses identified from stoats (Mustela erminea) in the United Kingdom. Access microbiology, pp.000813-v3. https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.000813.v4.
  7. Apaa, T., Withers, A. J., Mackenzie, L., Staley, C., Dessi, N., Blanchard, A., Bennett, M., Bremner-Harrison, S., Chadwick, E. A., Hailer, F., Harrison, S. W. R., Lambin, X., Loose, M., Mathews, F. & Tarlinton, R. 202. Lack of detection of SARS-CoV-2 in British wildlife 2020-21 and first description of a stoat (Mustela erminea) Minacovirus. J Gen Virol, 104(12). https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.001917.
  8. Apaa, T.T., McFadzean, H., Gandy, S., Hansford, K., Medlock, J. and Johnson, N., 2023. Anaplasma phagocytophilum Ecotype Analysis in Cattle from Great Britain. Pathogens, 12(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12081029.
  9. Apaa, T.T., Withers, A. J., Staley, C., Blanchard, A., Bennett, M., Bremner-Harrison, S., Chadwick, E. A., Hailer, F., Harrison, S. W. R., Loose, M., Mathews, F. & Tarlinton, R. 2023. Sarbecoviruses of British horseshoe bats; sequence variation and epidemiology. J Gen Virol, 104(6). https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.001859.
  10. Shima F.K., Gberindyer F.A., Apaa T.T., Omobowale T.O., Nottidge H.O. Drug prescription practices of veterinary clinicians for dogs diagnosed with gastroenteritis in Nigeria. Revue Vétérinaire Clinique. 2022 Jun 1;57(2):59-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anicom.2022.03.001.
  11. Shima F.K., Omotosho O.O., Apaa T.T., Omobowale T.O., Nottidge H.O. A retrospective study of the prevalence of gastroenteritis in dogs attending some veterinary clinics in Nigeria. Revue Vétérinaire Clinique. 2021 Dec 1;56(4):170-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anicom.2021.09.001.
  12. Luga, I., Enemuneme, O., & Apaa, T.T. (2018). Dog population and ecology in Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) main campus and Bomo village, Kaduna state, Nigeria. Sokoto Journal of Veterinary Sciences, 16(1), 54-59. https://doi.org/10.4314/sokjvs.v16i1.8.
  13. Apaa, T. T., Daly, J. M., & Tarlinton, R. E. (2016). Canine parvovirus (CPV-2) variants circulating in Nigerian dogs. Vet Rec Open, 3(1), e000198. https://doi.org/10.1136/vetreco-2016-000198.
  14. Nongo, N. N., Tion, M. T., Apaa, T. T., & Ogunro. (2015). A case of canine trypanosomosis with epistaxis in a two-year old alsatian dog. J. Agric. Vet. Sci, 8, 68-72. https://doi.org/10.9790/2380-081116872.
  15. Shima, F.K., Iortyom, B. K., & Apaa, T. T. (2015). Seroprevalence of Brucella Antibodies in Household Goats in Benue North-East Senatorial District, Nigeria. https://doi.org/10.3923/rjvs.2015.1.7.

Publications

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