Vaccination with recombinant Brugia malayi cystatin proteins alters worm migration, homing and final niche selection following a subcutaneous challenge of Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) with B. malayi infective larvae

Background Cysteine protease inhibitors of Brugia malayi have been ascribed to be involved in parasite development as well as to immunomodulate the host’s immune response. In Onchocerca volvulus, Onchocystatin has been shown to induce partial protection in the mouse diffusion chamber vaccination model. In the present study we investigated the impact of vaccination with recombinant Bm-CPI-1 and Bm-CPI-2 proteins on protection against a subcutaneous challenge of B. malayi third stage larvae in gerbils.