Formula to evaluate efficacy of vaccines and systemic substances against three-host ticks

AbstractThe control of ticks with vaccines is of global interest. Experimental vaccines incorporate new technologies as soon as they are available. Historically, the main vaccine studies have focused on the one-host cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus, and efficacy evaluations have been standardised for this tick species. On the other hand, evaluations of vaccine candidates for three-host ticks are being done somewhat arbitrarily and thus comparisons within the current literature on the efficacy of vaccines, as well as other methods of control, are difficult. We herein provide a formula for the evaluation of efficacy of a vaccine designed against three-host ticks that incorporates the whole life cycle of the tick

Aplicação do fungo Metarhizium anisopliae em pastagem visando o controle do carrapato Boophilus microplus em bovinos

Este trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito da aplicação de Metarhizium anisopliae em pastagem de Brachiaria decumbens naturalmente infestada, submetida ao pastejo com bovinos, visando o controle do carrapato Boophilus microplus. O estudo foi realizado no período de maio de 2006 a março de 2007, em pastagem de B. decumbens, implantada em solo de textura argilosa da Fazenda do Glória, pertencente à Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), em Uberlândia, MG. Utilizou-se população de B. microplus naturalmente existente na pastagem com área de 12.000 m2 e 24 novilhos mestiços com cerca de 1 ano de idade, como hospedeiros experimentais. A randomização dos animais foi feita pela contagem de fêmeas ingurgitadas (instar entre 4,5 a 8 mm de comprimento), no terceiro, segundo e primeiro dias anteriores à primeira aplicação do fungo na pastagem. A área da pastagem foi então dividida em dois pastos com 6.000 m2, e grupos homogêneos de 12 animais foram introduzidos em cada pasto, determinando-se por sorteio o pasto tratado e o controle. Para pulverizar o pasto tratado, foram utilizados 5 a 6 kg de arroz contendo o isolado E9 de M. anisopliae esporulado, com os quais se produziu 400 L de suspensão conidial, quantidade suficiente para pulverizar, em média, 66,7 mL de suspensão por metro quadrado de pasto...In this work the efficacy of spraying Brachiaria decumbens pasture with Metarhizium anisopliae against natural infestation with the cattle tick Boophilus microplus was evaluated. The study was conducted from May 2006 to March 2007 at the Gloria farm from the Federal University of Uberlândia, in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Experimental pasture of 12.000 m2, naturally infested with B. microplus and had 24 one year old mixed breed bovines was used. The area was halved in two pastures of 6.000 m2 and each pasture received 12 animals. Tick susceptibility of bovines of each area was similar. Pastures were than sprayed with either a conidial suspension of E9 M. anisopliae isolate (treated pasture) or the conidial suspension vehicle without the fungus (control pasture). Pastures were sprayed 12 times with 21 day intervals between applications. Bovines remained on the pasture during the spraying. Fungus persistence on the soil and the grass was evaluated on first, seven and 14 days after each spraying. Pasture infestation with larvae and animal infestation with engorging female ticks were evaluated 17, 19, 21, 26 and 33 days after each pasture treatment ...(Complete abstract, click electronic access below)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Patogenicidade de isolados de Beauveria bassiana para ovos, larvas e ninfas ingurgitadas de Rhipicephalus sanguineus Pathogenicity of Beauveria bassiana isolates towards eggs, larvae and engorged nymphs of Rhipicephalus sanguineus

O presente trabalho objetivou avaliar a ação dos isolados JAB 07, CB 7 e AM 9 do fungo Beauveria bassiana para ovos, larvas e ninfas ingurgitadas de Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Padronizou-se a concentração de 109 conídios mL-1 para cada isolado e por meio de diluições seriadas, obtiveram-se as suspensões com concentrações de 10(8) e 10(7)con. mL-1. Preparou-se um bioensaio para cada fase do ciclo de vida do carrapato. Cada ensaio foi composto por 10 grupos tratamentos, formados por um isolado do fungo e uma concentração de conídios, e um grupo controle contendo apenas o veículo das suspensões. Os isolados do fungo, aplicados nas diferentes concentrações de esporos, causaram redução no percentual de eclosão de larvas oriundas de ovos infectados (0,7 a 12,1% de eclosão) e no percentual de ecdise de larvas (4,7 a 33,7% de ecdise) e ninfas (0 a 16,7% de ecdise). Não houve diferença entre os isolados (P>0,05) quanto à infecção de ovos, mas a aplicação de 109 con./mL de JAB 07 e AM 9 promoveu redução significativa da eclosão de larvas, em relação à concentração de 10(7)con. mL-1. O isolado CB 7 foi o mais eficaz na redução do número de ecdises de larvas. Os isolados e as concentrações de conídios não diferiram (P>0,05) quanto à capacidade de redução do percentual de ecdise de ninfas, mas evidenciou-se intensa atividade patogênica do fungo.<br>The aim of the present study was to determine the action of isolates JAB 07, CB 7 and AM 9 of the fungus Beauveria bassiana on eggs, larvae and engorged nymphs of Rhipicephalus sanguineus tick. A concentration of 109 conidia mL-1 was standardized for each isolate and suspensions containing 10(8) and 10(7) conidia mL-1 were obtained by serial dilution. A bioassay was prepared for each phase of the life cycle of the tick. Each assay comprised 10 treatment groups, consisting of one fungal isolate and one conidial concentration, and one control group containing only the vehicle of suspensions. For the eggs infection 0.1g (about 270 eggs) were placed at 1ml of suspension at different concentrations, each engorged larvae group (n=250) and engorged nymphs (n=50) received 2ml of one conidial suspension. Thereafter, eggs, larvae and nymphs were placed in on incubator at 27 &plusmn; 1&deg;C and at a humidity above 80%. The fungal isolates applied at different spore concentrations caused a reduction in percent hatching of larvae derived from infected eggs (0.7 to 12.1% of hatching) and in percent ecdysis of larvae (4.7 to 33.7% of ecdysis) and nymphs (0 to 16.7% of ecdysis). No difference in the infection of eggs was observed between isolates (P>0.05), but the application of 109 conidia/ml of JAB 07 and AM 9 significantly reduced the hatching of larvae compared to the concentrations of 10(7) conidia mL-1. The isolate CB 7 was more efficient in reducing the number of larval ecdysis. The isolates and concentrations tested didn’t differ (P>0.05) in their ability to reduce percent ecdysis of nymphs, but an intense pathogenic activity of the fungus was observed

Profile of cattle breed sensitivity to the tick Rhipicephalus microplus

Among cattle, Bos taurus breeds and their crosses are more sensitive to tick infestations than Bos indicus breeds that are more resistant to infestation and more adaptable to tropical climates. The presence of susceptible individuals in herds and inadequate tick control lead to direct and indirect losses in the meat production chain, in addition to increased mortality due to cattle tick fever. The objective of this study was to describe, compare and rank the sensitivity of different breeds of stabled cattle to the tick Rhipicephalus microplus and to present, as an innovative result, a scale called the Tick Ruler. Secondary data on the number of retrieved engorged females, engorged female ticks’ weight, egg mass weight and number of larvae were extracted from research reports of experiments conducted over 18 years with eight breeds to describe and report the sensitivity of the breeds to artificial infestation by R. microplus larvae. For analyses, the recovery rate of engorged female ticks and the percentile of dispersion of individuals in their respective races were calculated, and comparison of these percentiles between races was performed. The ranking of the percentiles resulted in the organization of the breeds by their susceptibility to R. microplus; we call this scale the “Tick Ruler.” The ruler is a simple, easy-to-understand tool that can be used by technicians and producers to evaluate the tick sensitivity of a breed of interest and can assist producers in decision-making to find a balance between increased production gains and the risk of economic losses depending on the breed composition in a cattle herd

Calculation of the efficacy of vaccines against tick infestations on cattle

Cattle ticks are responsible for great economic losses in cattle farming worldwide, and their main control method, chemicals, has been showing problems, whether resulting from the development of resistant strains of ticks or environmental contamination. Research studies directed toward developing vaccines against ticks are emerging. One way to evaluate those vaccines is to calculate the percentage of efficacy. The aim of this study was to analyze scientific publications archived in PubMed that used this method of assessment and discuss the main factors that may affect its calculation. Thus, 25 articles addressing this subject were selected. The percentage of efficacy was usually calculated in one of two ways, with one considering the reduced fertility of eggs and the other not. The latter method may underestimate the vaccine efficacy, and the most complete formula for calculating the efficacy reflects how much the vaccine actually affects the infestation. In our view, the use of the complete formula for calculating the percentage of efficacy is broader and more representative of the vaccine effect on the tick population

Chemical identification of Tagetes minuta Linnaeus (Asteraceae) essential oil and its acaricidal effect on ticks Caracterização química e efeito acaricida do óleo essencial de Tagetes minuta Linnaeus (Asteraceae) em carrapatos

The control of tick species that affect animal production is vital for the economic welfare of the cattle industry. This study focused on testing the acaricidal activity of the essential oil from the leaves and stems of Tagetes minuta against several Brazilian tick species, including Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Amblyomma cajennense and Argas miniatus. The chemical composition of the essential oil was determined by chromatography and spectroscopy analyses, which revealed the presence of monoterpenes. The adult immersion test (AIT) and the larval packet test (LPT) were used to evaluate the efficacy of T. minuta essential oil in tick management at concentrations of 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 40%. The results demonstrated that the T. minuta essential oil had over 95% efficacy against four species of ticks at a concentration of 20%. These results suggest that the essential oil of T. minuta could be used as an environmentally friendly acaricide.<br>O controle de carrapatos que causa impacto na produção de bovinos possui importância econômica para a cadeia produtiva. Neste trabalho objetivou-se testar a atividade acaricida do óleo essencial das folhas e caules de Tagetes minuta contra várias espécies de carrapatos brasileiros, incluindo Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Amblyomma cajennense e Argas miniatus. A composição química do óleo foi determinada por GC-MS e análises de espectroscopia de RMN, que revelaram a presença de monoterpenos. Na avaliação destas substâncias no controle do carrapato foram empregados os testes de imersão de adulto (TIA) e o de pacote de larvas (TPL) para o extrato de óleo de T. minuta nas concentrações de 2,5%; 5%; 10%; 20% e 40%. Os resultados do TPL e TIA demonstraram que o óleo essencial na concentração de 20% de T. minuta apresenta eficácia superior a 95% nas quatro espécies de carrapato. Estes resultados sugerem que o óleo essencial de T. minuta pode ser usado como um acaricida eficaz e com baixo impacto ambiental

Analysis of Bm86 conserved epitopes: is a global vaccine against Cattle Tick Rhipicephalus microplus possible?

Abstract The cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus causes significant economic losses in agribusiness. Control of this tick is achieved mainly through the application of chemical acaricides, often resulting in contamination of animal food products and of the environment. Another major concern associated with acaricide use is the increasing reports of resistance of this tick vector against the active ingredients of many commercial products. An alternative control method is vaccination. However, the commercially available vaccine based on a protein homologous to Bm86 exhibits variations in efficacy relative to the different geographical locations. This study aimed to identify antigenic determinants of the sequences of proteins homologous to Bm86. Phylogenetic analyses were performed to determine the extent of divergence between different populations of R. microplus to identify the sequence that could be used as a universal vaccine against the multiple geographically distinct populations of R. microplus and related tick species. Considering the extensive sequence and functional polymorphism observed among strains of R. microplus from different geographical regions, we can conclude that it may be possible to achieve effective vaccination against these cattle ticks using a single universal Bm86-based antigen

Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária Calculation of the efficacy of vaccines against tick infestations on cattle † Cálculo de eficácia de vacinas contra a infestação de carrapatos nos bovinos

Abstract Cattle ticks are responsible for great economic losses in cattle farming worldwide, and their main control method, chemicals, has been showing problems, whether resulting from the development of resistant strains of ticks or environmental contamination. Research studies directed toward developing vaccines against ticks are emerging. One way to evaluate those vaccines is to calculate the percentage of efficacy. The aim of this study was to analyze scientific publications archived in PubMed that used this method of assessment and discuss the main factors that may affect its calculation. Thus, 25 articles addressing this subject were selected. The percentage of efficacy was usually calculated in one of two ways, with one considering the reduced fertility of eggs and the other not. The latter method may underestimate the vaccine efficacy, and the most complete formula for calculating the efficacy reflects how much the vaccine actually affects the infestation. In our view, the use of the complete formula for calculating the percentage of efficacy is broader and more representative of the vaccine effect on the tick population. Keywords: Efficiency, ticks, vaccine, bovine. Resumo Carrapatos de bovinos são responsáveis por grandes perdas econômicas para a pecuária bovina mundial e seu principal método de controle, o químico, vem apresentando problemas, seja pelo desenvolvimento de amostras de carrapatos resistentes ou pela contaminação ambiental. Na tentativa de diminuir a utilização dos acaricidas, surgem pesquisas direcionadas ao desenvolvimento de vacinas contra carrapatos. Uma maneira de avaliar essas vacinas é pelo cálculo de percentagem de eficácia. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar as publicações científicas indexadas no PubMed que utilizaram este método de avaliação e discutir os principais fatores que podem interferir no seu cálculo. Dessa maneira, selecionaram-se 25 artigos que tratavam desse assunto. A percentagem de eficácia apareceu sendo calculada de duas formas, uma considerando a redução da fertilidade dos ovos e a outra não. Essa última pode subestimar a eficiência da vacina, e a fórmula de cálculo da eficácia mais completa representa o quanto da infestação a vacina realmente reduziu. Em nosso entendimento, a utilização da fórmula completa para o cálculo da percentagem de eficácia é mais abrangente e representativa do efeito da vacina na população de carrapatos. Palavras-chave: Eficiência, carrapato, vacina, bovino

New insights from molecular characterization of the tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus in Brazil

Abstract The Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus complex currently consists of five taxa, namely R. australis, R. annulatus, R. (B.) microplus clade A sensu, R. microplus clade B sensu, and R. (B.) microplus clade C sensu. Mitochondrial DNA-based methods help taxonomists when they are facing the morpho-taxonomic problem of distinguishing members of the R. (B.) microplus complex. The purpose of this study was to perform molecular characterization of ticks in all five regions of Brazil and infer their phylogenetic relationships. Molecular analysis characterized 10 haplotypes of the COX-1 gene. Molecular network analysis revealed that haplotype H-2 was the most dispersed of the studied populations (n = 11). Haplotype H-3 (n = 2) had the greatest genetic differentiation when compared to other Brazilian populations. A Bayesian phylogenetic tree of the COX-1 gene obtained strong support. In addition, it was observed that the population of R. (B.) microplus haplotype H-3 exhibited diverging branches among the other Brazilian populations in the study. The study concludes that the different regions of Brazil have R. (B.) microplus tick populations with distinct haplotypes