title: Multi-antigenic vaccine against the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus: a field evaluation.
abstract: The tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is a blood-sucking ectoparasite of cattle that severely impairs livestock production. Studies on tick immunological control address mostly single-antigen vaccines. However, from the commercial standpoint, so far no single-antigen vaccine has afforded appropriate protection against all R. microplus populations. In this context, multi-antigen cocktails have emerged as a way to enhance vaccine efficacy. In this work, a multi-antigenic vaccine against R. microplus was analyzed under field conditions in naturally infested cattle. The vaccine was composed by three tick recombinant proteins from two tick species that in previous single-vaccination reports provided partial protection of confined cattle against R. microplus infestations: vitellin-degrading cysteine endopeptidase (VTDCE) and boophilus yolk pro-cathepsin (BYC) from R. microplus, and glutathione S-transferase from Haemaphysalis longicornis (GST-Hl). Increased antibody levels against three proteins were recorded after immunizations, with a distinct humoral immune response dynamics for each protein. Compared to the control group, a statistically significant lower number of semi-engorged female ticks were observed in vaccinated cattle after two inoculations. This reduction persisted for 3 months, ranging from 35.3 to 61.6%. Furthermore, cattle body weight gain was significantly higher in vaccinated animals when compared to control cattle. Compared to the single-antigen vaccines composed by VTDCE, BYC or GST-Hl, this three-antigen vaccine afforded higher protection levels against R. microplus infestations.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Prédio 43421, Campus do Vale, Caixa Postal 15005, Porto Alegre, RS 91501-970, Brazil. luisfparizi@cbiot.ufrgs.br
authors.forename: Luís F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Parizi
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reck
authors.forename: Daiane P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Oldiges
authors.forename: Melina G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Guizzo
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seixas
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Logullo
authors.forename: Pedro L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Termignoni
authors.forename: João R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Itabajara da Silva
authors.initials: Ida S
authors.lastname: Vaz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D048494:Rhipicephalus / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014612:Vaccines