Vaccines & Vaccination

Biography

Biography: Manuel Rodriguez Valle

Abstract

Babesia bovis is a protozoan parasite transmitted by Rhipicephalus microplus ticks causing significant economic losses and limits cattle production in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Vaccination with live attenuated parasites is an effective control method that protects susceptible cattle preventing babesiosis outbreaks in areas of enzootic instability, and protects animals raised in tick free zones when transferred into endemic areas. These live Babesia vaccines are usually effective but have a numerous disadvantages including reversion to virulence if transmitted by ticks. Additionally, vaccination is only safe in young bovines (~ 1 year old). The present study developed microspheres with ~1 µM size of poly glycidyl methacrylate (poly-GMA) that were functionalized by Click chemistry methodologies with highly immunogenic and protective B cell epitopes from the B. bovis merozoite surface antigen MSA-2. The peptide-functionalized microspheres were utilized in mouse inmmunisation experiment. Mouse anti-peptide antibodies recognized B. bovis merozoite extracts in ELISA screening. In addition, sera against the peptides inhibited erythrocyte invasion by cultured B. bovis merozoites in vitro. However, cattle immunized with the MSA-2 peptide-microparticles were not protected against challenge with the virulent B. bovis strain (Calliungal). Finally, further studies should be conducted in order to improve the development of a new generation of vaccine(s) against this apicomplexan protozoan parasite.