Immunological response in rabbits infested with Rhipicephalus sanguineus

In order to clarify the importance of humoral antibody in host resistance to ticks, in the present work we studied the immunological response of rabbits infested with larvae, nymphs or adults of Rhipicephalus sanguineus, using extracts of eggs (EE), larvae (LE), nymphs (NE), male salivary glands (MSGE), male midguts (MME), female salivary glands (FSGE) and female midguts (FME). When serum from rabbits infested with larvae or nymphs was tested using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, no reactions were observed with any of the extracts including the homologous LE or NE. In sera from rabbits infested with adult ticks, the reactions were observed in both homologous (MSGE, MME, FSGE and FME) and heterologous (EE, LE and NE) system. However, differences were seen regarding the type of antigen used. When the experiment was carried out using extracts from adults higher responses were found. With FSGE and FME antigens, antibody levels were systematically higher than those observed when MSGE and MME were used.