Rabbits immunized with polypeptides of midgut of glucose fed A. stephensi resulted in high titer of antibodies (10(4)-10(6)) as detected by ELISA. Effect of antisera on fecundity, hatchability and engorgement was investigated. Fecundity was reduced drastically (62.4%). Eight polypeptides were recognized by the antisera raised against midgut tissues viz., 92, 85, 55, 52, 45, 38, 29 and 13 kDa. C...

Examples of immunological reactions to arthropod parasites include responses by hosts to the following stimuli: excretory and secretory antigens produced by myiasis-producing larvae or skin-dwelling (mange) mites salivary antigens of blood-sucking arthropods. In many cases, these are hypersensitivity reactions, which often appear not to produce very deleterious effects on the parasites. However...

pistachio green stink bug, acrosternum hegeeri, due to its inflicting damages on crop quantity and quality, is of a great economical importance in pistachio production. on the other hand, a knowledge of digestive enzymes, is quite indispensable in the study and application of new pest management technologies. results of studeies have shown that midgut in this insect is divided into four section...

Equi merozoite antigens 1 and 2 (EMA-1 and EMA-2) are Babesia equi proteins expressed on the parasite surface during infection in horses and are orthologues of proteins in Theileria spp., which are also tick-transmitted protozoal pathogens. We determined in this study whether EMA-1 and EMA-2 were expressed within the vector tick Boophilus microplus. B. equi transitions through multiple, morphol...

Malaria sexual stage and mosquito transmission-blocking vaccines (SSM-TBV) have recently gained prominence as a necessary tool for malaria eradication. SSM-TBVs are unique in that, with the exception of parasite gametocyte antigens, they primarily target parasite or mosquito midgut surface antigens expressed only inside the mosquito. As such, the primary perceived limitation of SSM-TBVs is that...

The development of transmission-blocking vaccines is one approach to malaria control. To identify novel Plasmodium zygote- and ookinete-secreted proteins as targets of blocking malaria transmission, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were produced against parasite-secreted proteins found in Plasmodium gallinaceum ookinete culture supernatants. Four MAbs-1A6, 2A5, 2B5, and 4B6-were identified that bou...

  Proteases play a key role in protein digestion in ticks and other haematophagous insects. Our understanding of blood meal digestion in digestive system of ticks can be very useful for better understanding of basic rules for control of ticks. Cells of the midgut endocytose blood components. Blood proteins uptake by midgut cells, suggesting the presence of proteases in the midgut cells. In this...

Like other helminths, Trichinella spiralis has evolved strategies to allow it to survive in the host organism, including the expression of epitopes similar to those present in either expressed or hidden host antigens. To identify T. spiralis-derived antigens that are evolutionarily conserved in the parasite and its host and that could be responsible for its evasion of the host immune response, ...

BACKGROUND There are varying degrees of compatibility between malaria parasite-mosquito species, and understanding this compatibility may be crucial for developing effective transmission-blocking vaccines. This study investigates the compatibility of different biological forms of a malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi, to Plasmodium berghei ANKA strain. METHODS Several biologically different a...

the effect of a neuropeptide, the tachykinin on α-amylase, protease and lipase activities in the midgut of american cockroach, periplaneta americana (linnaeus) is evaluated . immunohistochemical reactivities against tachykinin (tachykinin- ir) were detected in the midgut. tachykinin-ir cells in three regions (anterior, median and posterior) of the midgut were counted in normally fed, starved fo...