Boophilus annulatus (Acari: Ixodidae): cattle-acquired humoral and cell-mediated immunity against tick gut and salivary gland antigens.

Abstract Assays of antibodies and cell-mediated immunity (CMI) against specific antigens in Boophilus (B.) annulatus Say gut and salivary glands were performed using Bos indicus cattle infested for prolonged periods as a model for naturally acquired immunity to ticks. It was shown that cattle sera contained several antibodies that were reactive with gut proteins (45,66,116,150, and 274 KDa Mol. Wt.) and with salivary gland proteins (66,97,150 and 205 KDa Mol. Wt.) by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and dot immunoblot assays. CMI positive responses to both gut proteins (2000 and 150 KDa Mol. Wt.) and salivary gland protein (150 KDa Mol. Wt) were observed by a macrophage migration inhibition (MMI) test. The potential usefulness of B. annulatus antigenic proteins for vaccination of local cattle breeds is the subject of an ongoing study.