Domain of specializations: Medical Microbiology and Parasitology; Ticks and Eubacteria transmitted by ticks; Genera Rickettsia, Ehrlichia and Anaplasma; Laboratory Diagnosis; Transmission Electron Microscopy; Molecular Biology; Cell culture techniques for isolation/culturing of agents. Present research interests: Infections caused by Coxiella burnetii (Q fever); Strain genotyping and antibiotic resistance; Disease epidemiology and situation in Portugal; Clinical manifestations of acute and chronic infection, diagnosis and treatment; Host immune susceptibility for long-term infections. Ixodes ticks as vectors of infectious diseases agents; Ticks phylogeography, Microbiome and life-cycle.