Humoral and cellular immune response of rabbits to Psoroptes cuniculi, the rabbit scab mite.

Rabbits infested for the first time with Psoroptes cuniculi (Group A) and heavily infested ones with unknown aetiology (Group B) were examined for specific serum antibody activity and responsiveness of their peripheral blood lymphocytes by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and lymphocyte transformation assay methods. These parameters were examined after treatment with ivermectin and after subsequent challenge infestation with P. cuniculi. Group A rabbits developed a small number of mite-caused lesions, and exhibited a significant P. cuniculi antigen-induced T cell response and a high level of specific serum antibody. However, both lymphocyte responsiveness and antibody production were observed to be suppressed in Group B rabbits that were highly susceptible to P. cuniculi.