title: IgM rheumatoid factor in cattle immunized against babesiosis.
abstract: Polyclonal bovine IgM-rheumatoid factors (IgM-RFs) were examined in sera of cattle immunized against babesiosis. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used enabling rapid screening of serum samples. Results obtained indicate a rise of serum IgM-RF levels with age in healthy bovines. However when animals of similar age and pertaining to the same herd were examined, levels of serum IgM-RF exhibited a wide distribution range. Mean values in 60 sera of 2 yrs old clinically healthy heifers originating from a single herd were of 452.60 +/- 201.26 e.u. at 1 in 1,000 serum dilution and of 202.37 +/- 137.86 e.u. at 1 in 4,000 serum dilution. In a herd where repeated vaccination of dams against babesiosis was carried out 3 to 6 weeks before delivery either with live Babesia bovis parasites or soluble antigens of in vitro grown organisms, no significant differences in mean IgM-RF values were found between revaccinated animals and a control group. Nor did the mean values of serum IgM-RF of calves born to the respective groups of dams exhibit significant differences. It thus appears that immunization of healthy cattle against this parasite does not affect mean serum IgM-RF levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Beit Dagan, Israel.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ungar-Waron
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paz
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shkap
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pipano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000276:immunology; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002417:Cattle / Q000276:immunology*; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor