The Progress and Process of the Development of Anti-tick Vaccine Against Cattle Ticks (Boophilus microplus) in Thailand

Tropical cattle ticks (Boophilus microplus) are the most important ectoparasites that have the impact on livestock development in Thailand due to their responsible for severe economic losses through direct damages of blood feeding and as important pathogen vectors. Acaricides have been used extensively to control ticks with partial success. However, this approach suffers drawbacks such as selection for pesticide resistance, environmental contamination and residue problems. Recent advances have introduced possibility for immunological control of the parasites through use of an anti-tick vaccine. Anti-tick vaccines by contrast have the potential to be non-contamination, sustainable and low-cost technology, potentially applicable to a wide variety of hosts. There is considerable evidence that the major protective mechanism in the vaccine is the production of antibody to ‘concealed antigen’. In Thailand, there has been the pilot study for the trend of semi-crude anti-tick vaccine trial with outstanding successful outcome. Therefore, this consequence was leading to the identification, characterization, cloning, and expression of candidate antigen proteins such as Bm86, Bm91, and Bm95 derived from B. microplus’ midgut origin. Subsequently, the complete sequence of the gene and translated sequence encoded these proteins were obtained. The efficiency trial in natural hosts to measure effect of the vaccine is still underway. The outcome might be potential for the commercial anti-tick vaccine in Thailand in the near future.