title: Immune response to Babesia bigemina infection in pregnant cows.
abstract: The objective of this study was to characterize the immune response of Babesia bigemina-infected cows during the second trimester of pregnancy. Twelve animals were divided into four groups (I, II, III, IV); groups I and II were pregnant cows, groups III and IV were non-pregnant cows. Groups I and III were infected with a virulent strain of Babesia bigemina, the doses utilized was 1 x 10(7) infected red blood cells IM. Groups II and IV were noninfected control groups. All the infected animals were severely affected; at days 5-7 post-inoculation (DPI) they showed clinical signs: fever (40-41.5 degrees C), packed cell volume reduction, and parasitemia, and specific treatment was required. The immune response was monitored daily from 0-11 DPI. As shown by flow cytometry analysis, in infected animals the distribution in peripheral blood of the T-cells subpopulations (CD4+, CD8+, gammadelta T-cells) was not affected when compared to the control groups. By ELISA, IFN-gamma production showed a trend to increase in plasma between 6-10 DPI; noninfected cows showed the lowest optical density values. By RT-PCR, a Th1 predominant response was observed, TNFalpha, INF-gamma and iNOs were detected. In contrast IL-4 and IL-10 were weak or undetected. The results of this trial will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Centro Nacional de Investigaciòn Disciplinaria en Parasitologia Veterinaria, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Civac, Morelos, Mexico.
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: M J V
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Figueroa
authors.forename: A J A
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: A G J
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Cantó
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Falcón
authors.forename: M J A
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Alvarez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001403:Babesia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007371:Interferon-gamma