Abstract
Bovine piroplasmosis caused byTheileria sergenti is a major cause of economic loss in grazing cattle in Japan. Infected calves show chronic anaemia with intraerythrocytic piroplasms and occasionally die in severe cases. We found that parasite stocks and isolates consist of genetically and antigenically mixed populations. To differentiate parasite populations bearing 3 allelic forms of p32/34, an immunodominant piroplasm surface protein, 3 sets of oligonucleotide primers were designed to amplify either of 3 alleles by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). By using this allele-specific PCR, we found that the majority ofT. sergenti-infected calves in Japan harbored mixed parasite populations bearing C and I type parasites. To controlTheileria infection, we produced 2 vaccine candidates: recombinant baculovirus p32 and synthetic peptide containing Lys-Glu-Lys (KEK) motif. Immunization with either recombinant p32 or synthetic peptide containing KEK sequences with Freund’s complete adjuvant resulted in low parasitemia and reduced the clinical symptoms compared to control calves. Interestingly, the parasite with the p32 allelic form corresponding to the one used as the immunogen was suppressed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kubota S., Sugimoto C. &Onuma M. (1996a). Population dynamics ofTheileria sergenti infected cattle and vector ticks analysed by a PCR.Parasitology,112, 437–442.
Kubota S., Sugimoto C., Kakuda T. &Onuma M. (1996b). Parasite population analysis ofTheileria sergenti andT. buffeli by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction for immunodominant piroplasm surface antigen genes.International Journal for Parasitology,26, 741–748.
Kubota S., Sugimoto C. &Onuma M. (1995). A genetic analysis of mixed population inTheileria sergenti stocks and isolates using allele-specific polymerase chain reaction.Journal of Veterinary Medicine and Science,57, 279–282.
Molano A., Segura C., Guzman F., Lozada D. &Patarroyo M. E. (1991). In human malaria protective antibodies are directed mainly against the Lys-Glu ion pair within the Lys-Glu-Lys motif of the synthetic vaccine SPf 66.Parasite Immunology,14, 111–124.
Matsuba T., Kawakami Y., Jwai H. &Onuma M. (1992). Genomic analysis ofTheleria sergenti stocks in Japan with DNA probes.Veterinary Parasitology,41, 35–43.
Matsuba T., Kubota H., Tanaka M., Hattori M., Sugimoto C. &Onuma M. (1993a). Analysis of a mixed parasite population by using cDNA probes encoding a major piroplasm surface protein ofTheileria sergenti.Parasitology,107, 369–377.
Matsuba T., Sugimoto C., Hattori M., Sako Y., Fujisaki K. &Onuma M. (1995). Expression of a 32KDTheileria sergenti piroplasm surface protein by recombinant baculoviruses.International Journal of Parasitology,25, 939–943.
Matsuba T., Sugimoto C., Onoe S., Kawakami Y., Iwai H. andOnuma M. (1993b). Changes in the hybridization patterns of populations ofTheileria sergenti during infection.Veterinary Parasitology,47, 215–223.
Ohishi K., Kabeya H., Amanuma H. &Onuma M. Induction of bovine leukemia virus Env-specific Th1 type immunity in mice by vaccination with short synthesized peptide-liposome.Vaccine, In press.
Shirakata S., Onuma M., Kirisawa R., Takahashi K. &Kawakami Y. (1989). Localization of surface antigen onTheileria sergenti merozoite by monoclonal antibodies.Japanese Journal of Veterinary Science 51, 831–833.
Tanaka M., Ohgitani T., Kawamoto S., Takahashi K., Onuma M., Kawakami Y. &Sasaki N. (1990). Protective effect against intraerythrocytic merozoites ofTheileria sergenti infection in calves by passive transfer of monoclonal antibody.Japanese Journal of Veterinary Science,52, 631–633.
Tanaka M., Onoe S., Matsuba T., Katayama S., Yamanaka M., Yonemichi H., Hiramatsu K., Baek B. K., Sugimoto C. &Onuma M. (1993). Detection ofTheileria sergenti infection in cattle by polymerase chain reaction amplification of parasite-specific DNA.Journal of Clinical Microbiology,31, 2565–2569.
Zhuang W. Z., Sugimoto C. et al. (1996). Antigenic alteration in major piroplasm surface proteins ofTheileria sergenti during infection.Veterinary Parasitology,60, 191–198.
Zhuang W. Z., Sugimoto C., Matsuba T., Niinuma S., Murata M. &Onuma M. (1994). Analyses of antigenic and genetic diversities ofTheileria sergenti piroplasm surface proteins.Journal Veterinary Medicine & Science 56, 469–473.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Onuma, M., Kubota, S., Kakuda, T. et al. Control ofTheileria sergenti infection by vaccination. Trop Anim Health Prod 29 (Suppl 4), 119S–123S (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02632949
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02632949