title: Tick paralysis: development of a vaccine.
abstract: The paralysis tick of Australia, Ixodes holocyclus, causes a severe toxicosis in domestic animals such as dogs and cats, livestock, and in some cases, humans. It is characterised by a rapidly ascending flaccid paralysis. The causative agent of the toxicosis is a neurotoxin(s) produced in the tick salivary glands. The current treatment for tick paralysis is in the form of a polyclonal dog antiserum. This antiserum treatment is expensive and effective only in the early stages of paralysis. The aim of current research is to develop a recombinant veterinary vaccine based on the tick neurotoxin peptide sequence. A successful vaccine would provide cost-effective, long-term protective immunity against tick-induced paralysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masina
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Broady
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000992:Antitoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D001180:Arthropod Venoms / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000633:toxicity*; D002415:Cats; D002417:Cattle; D004285:Dogs; D017344:Genes, Insect / Q000235:genetics; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D018884:Ixodes; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000469:parasitology; D013985:Tick Paralysis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000992:Antitoxins; D001180:Arthropod Venoms; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; C038423:holocyclotoxin