Babesia bovis: comparison of culture‐derived parasites, non‐living antigen and conventional vaccine in the protection of cattle against heterologous challenge

Abstract

Twenty Bos taurus cattle were vaccinated with either live commercial Babesia bovis vaccine, live parasites from in vitro culture or non-living supernatant antigen (NLSA) derived from in vitro culture and combined with the adjuvant saponin. Heterologous strain challenge 10 weeks later indicated that cattle vaccinated with live parasites from either source were strongly protected, those given 2 doses of NLSA 2 weeks apart were partially protected, and those given one dose of NLSA were poorly protected. Enzyme immunoassay detected comparable, increasing levels of specific babesial antibody in all vaccinated cattle during the 2 to 3 weeks following vaccination, after which levels in cattle given NLSA decreased. Antibody to bovine blood group factors was detected in 4 of the 10 animals given NLSA. Titres peaked after 3 to 4 weeks and then declined rapidly.

Babesia bovis : identification of immunodominant merozoite surface proteins in soluble culture-derived exoantigen

“…This contrasts with a range of results obtained when vaccinated individuals are challenged with a heterologous strain of Babesia bovis. Up to 50% mortality in vaccinates has been associated with heterologous strains of Australian B. bovis (Timms et al 1983(Timms et al , 1984. However, studies involving South American species of B. bovis report signi®cant protection from heterologous challenge (Montenegro- James et al 1985James et al , 1987Patarroyo et al 1995).…”

“…Previous vaccination studies have used immuno¯uo-rescence (Kuttler et al 1983) or enzyme immunoassays (Timms et al 1983(Timms et al , 1984Montenegro-James et al 1987) to evaluate the antibody response of vaccinates. Both tests are qualitative in that they detect an antibody response to one or more proteins while not quantifying the degree of antibody response to speci®c immunogens or the number of proteins that have elicited a response.…”

“…Exoantigen derived from supernatants of microaerophilous stationary-phase (MASP; Levy and Ristic 1980) in vitro cultures of Babesia bovis has been studied as a possible nonliving vaccine for bovine babesiosis (Smith et al 1979(Smith et al , 1981Kuttler et al 1982Kuttler et al , 1983Timms et al 1983Timms et al , 1984Montenegro-James et al 1985Patarroyo et al 1995). Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses resulting from immunization have been demonstrated (Timms et al 1984) in association with partial protection against challenge with stabilates of B. bovis prepared from ticks (Smith et al 1979(Smith et al , 1981 or blood (Kuttler et al 1982(Kuttler et al , 1983Timms et al 1983Timms et al , 1984Montenegro-James et al 1985.…”

“…Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses resulting from immunization have been demonstrated (Timms et al 1984) in association with partial protection against challenge with stabilates of B. bovis prepared from ticks (Smith et al 1979(Smith et al , 1981 or blood (Kuttler et al 1982(Kuttler et al , 1983Timms et al 1983Timms et al , 1984Montenegro-James et al 1985.…”

In vitro cultivation of an African strain of Babesia bigemina , its characterisation and infectivity in cattle

“…Subpopulations exist within Babesia isolates and, depending on the isolate, the ratio between the dierent subpopulations can be stable or unstable following in vivo passage of the parasite (Dalrymple et al 1992) or in vitro cultivation (Timms et al 1983). Timms et al (1990) reported that B. bovis strains contain mixtures of genetically diverse organisms that can vary in characteristics such as pathogenicity, and protein and antigen composition.…”