Immunization of guinea-pigs against Rhipicephalus appendiculatus adult ticks using homogenates from unfed immature ticks.

Guinea-pigs immunized with homogenates of unfed larvae and nymphs of the tick Rhipicephalus appendiculatus developed significant levels of protective immunity to infestation with adults of this species. The mean engorged weight of female ticks feeding on immunized animals (181.96 +/- 05.63 mg and 170.11 +/- 11.54 mg) was reduced by an average of 46% and 51%, respectively, compared to that of female ticks feeding on control guinea-pigs, although in some individual animals the reduction was as high as 86%; the mean egg mass weight was also significantly reduced. Electrophoretic separation of the homogenates followed by immunostaining with post-infestation sera revealed several antigen bands common to all stages. Two bands of 36,500 and 23,000 molecular weight (MW) were recognized in all homogenates by post-adult infestation serum, but not by post-larval or post-nymphal infestation sera, suggesting that these may be antigens specifically involved in feeding by adult ticks, and are either not presented to the host's immune system or presented only in minimal amounts during feeding by immature stages. Sera from animals immunized with the homogenates did not recognize either of these antigens. Post-immunization sera did, however, stain two bands of 84,000 and 60,000 MW in the homogenates which were not recognized by post-infestation sera.