37 research outputs found
Calculation of the efficacy of vaccines against tick infestations on cattle
Articles in International JournalsCattle 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.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
Vaccination against Bm86 Homologues in Rabbits Does Not Impair Ixodes ricinus Feeding or Oviposition
Human tick-borne diseases that are transmitted by Ixodes ricinus, such as Lyme
borreliosis and tick borne encephalitis, are on the rise in Europe.
Diminishing I. ricinus populations in nature can reduce tick exposure to
humans, and one way to do so is by developing an anti-vector vaccine against
tick antigens. Currently, there is only one anti-vector vaccine available
against ticks, which is a veterinary vaccine based on the tick antigen Bm86 in
the gut of Rhipicephalus microplus. Bm86 vaccine formulations cause a
reduction in the number of Rhipicephalus microplus ticks that successfully
feed, i.e. lower engorgement weights and a decrease in the number of
oviposited eggs. Furthermore, Bm86 vaccines reduce transmission of bovine
Babesia spp. Previously two conserved Bm86 homologues in I. ricinus ticks,
designated as Ir86-1 and Ir86-2, were described. Here we investigated the
effect of a vaccine against recombinant Ir86-1, Ir86-2 or a combination of
both on Ixodes ricinus feeding. Recombinant Ixodes ricinus Bm86 homologues
were expressed in a Drosophila expression system and rabbits were immunized
with rIr86-1, rIr86-2, a combination of both or ovalbumin as a control. Each
animal was infested with 50 female adults and 50 male adults Ixodes ricinus
and tick mortality, engorgement weights and egg mass were analyzed. Although
serum IgG titers against rIr86 proteins were elicited, no effect was found on
tick feeding between the rIr86 vaccinated animals and ovalbumin vaccinated
animals. We conclude that vaccination against Bm86 homologues in Ixodes
ricinus is not an effective approach to control Ixodes ricinus populations,
despite the clear effects of Bm86 vaccination against Rhipicephalus microplus
First Transcriptome of the Testis-Vas Deferens-Male Accessory Gland and Proteome of the Spermatophore from Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae)
Ticks are important vectors of numerous human diseases and animal diseases. Feeding stimulates spermatogenesis, mating and insemination of male factors that trigger female reproduction. The physiology of male reproduction and its regulation of female development are essentially a black box. Several transcriptomes have catalogued expression of tick genes in the salivary glands, synganglion and midgut but no comprehensive investigation has addressed male reproduction and mating. Consequently, a new global approach using transcriptomics, proteomics, and quantitative gene expression is needed to understand male reproduction and stimulation of female reproduction
Transmission-Blocking Vaccines: Focus on Anti-Vector Vaccines against Tick-Borne Diseases
Tick-borne diseases are a potential threat that account for significant morbidity and mortality in human population worldwide. Vaccines are not available to treat several of the tick-borne diseases. With the emergence and resurgence of several tick-borne diseases, emphasis on the development of transmission-blocking vaccines remains increasing. In this review, we provide a snap shot on some of the potential candidates for the development of anti-vector vaccines (a form of transmission-blocking vaccines) against wide range of hard and soft ticks that include Ixodes, Haemaphysalis, Dermacentor, Amblyomma, Rhipicephalus and Ornithodoros species
Functional genomics of the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (Linnaeus, 1758)
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The horn fly, <it>Haematobia irritans </it>(Linnaeus, 1758) (Diptera: Muscidae) is one of the most important ectoparasites of pastured cattle. Horn flies infestations reduce cattle weight gain and milk production. Additionally, horn flies are mechanical vectors of different pathogens that cause disease in cattle. The aim of this study was to conduct a functional genomics study in female horn flies using Expressed Sequence Tags (EST) analysis and RNA interference (RNAi).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A cDNA library was made from whole abdominal tissues collected from partially fed adult female horn flies. High quality horn fly ESTs (2,160) were sequenced and assembled into 992 unigenes (178 contigs and 814 singlets) representing molecular functions such as serine proteases, cell metabolism, mitochondrial function, transcription and translation, transport, chromatin structure, vitellogenesis, cytoskeleton, DNA replication, cell response to stress and infection, cell proliferation and cell-cell interactions, intracellular trafficking and secretion, and development. Functional analyses were conducted using RNAi for the first time in horn flies. Gene knockdown by RNAi resulted in higher horn fly mortality (protease inhibitor functional group), reduced oviposition (vitellogenin, ferritin and vATPase groups) or both (immune response and 5'-NUC groups) when compared to controls. Silencing of ubiquitination ESTs did not affect horn fly mortality and ovisposition while gene knockdown in the ferritin and vATPse functional groups reduced mortality when compared to controls.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results advanced the molecular characterization of this important ectoparasite and suggested candidate protective antigens for the development of vaccines for the control of horn fly infestations.</p