KESISTAMCE TO THE TICK Boophilus micropls

ON CATTLE IN COLOIBIA: SKIN TESTING TO SELECT

HESISTANT CATTLE NDER TROPICAL CCMIDITIONS
E f r a i n V i ce n t e BENAVIDES
Doct or o f Ph i l o s o p h y
n iversity of Edin burgh
1989
x i
AB5TBACT
T he f e a s i b i l i t y of u s i n g , i n Col omb i a , s k i n t e s t i n g f o r
s e l e c t i n g c a t t l e of good a b i l i t y t o a c q u i r e r e s i s t a n c e t o t h e t i c k
Booph i l u s mi c r op l u s wa s i n v e s t i g a t e d. T he s k i n t e s t us e d t i c k
a n t i g e n s i s ol a t e d b y c h r oma t og r a ph l c f r a c t i on a t i on of wh ol e t i c k s or
di s s e c t i on a nd h omog e n i s a t i on of s a l i v a r y g l a n ds . An t i g e n s we r e
i n j e c t e d i n t r a de r ma l l y a nd t h e s i z e of t h e ma c r os c opi c r e a c t l on s wa s
me a s ur e d. T he p r ot e i n c omp os i t i on a nd a n t i g e n i c i t y of d i f f e r e n t
b a t c h e s of a n t i g e n s we r e c ompa r e d b y e l e c t r op h or e s i s wi t h
p ol y a c r y l a mi de g e l s a nd b y We s t e r n b l o t t i n g . T he e n z y me - l i n k e d
i mmunos or b e nt a s s a y wa s us e d t o r e l a t e a n t i - t i c k a n t l b odi e s t o
i n d i v i d u a l r e s i s t a n c e t o t i c k s . A p r e l i r a i n a r y i n v e s t i g a t i on us e d
r a b b i t s i n f e s t e d wi t h Rh i pi c e ph a l u s a p p e n di c u l a t u s t i c k s , t h e n
d i f f e r e n t gr oups of c a t t l e i n f ou r s epr a t e e x pe r i me n t s we r e
i n f e s t e d wi t h mi c r op l u s a nd i n d i v i d u a l r e s i s t a n c e t o t i c k s
a s s e s s e d b y c ou n t s of t i c k s .
S k i n t e s t r e a c t l on s i n r a b b i t s we r e ma i n l y of t h e de l a y e d
h y p e r s e n s i t i v i t y t y p e . T h e l r c or r e l a t i on wi t h i n d i v i d u a l r e s i s t a n c e
wa s p os i t i v e a nd s i g n i f i c a n t . S k i n t e s t r e a c t l on s i n c a t t l e we r e
i mmune s p e c i f i c a nd ma i n l y of t h e i mme di a t e h y p e r s e n s i t i v i t y t y p e .
T h e l r c or r e l a t i on wi t h i n d i v i d u a l r e s i s t a n c e wa s h l g h l y v a r i a b l e
b e t we e n I ndi vi dui s a nd e x p e r i me n t a l gr oups a nd s howed t o b e
a f f e c t e d b y e n v i r on r a e n t a l f a c t or s . T he r e p r o d u c i b l l i t y of i s o l a t i o n
of b a t c h e s of a n t i g e n s f r om t i c k s wa s good. An t i b ody t i t r e s
c or r e l a t e d p o s i t i v e l y wi t h l ow r e s i s t a n c e t o t i c k s , b u t h i g h
a n t i b ody l evi s i n t e r f e r e d wi t h t h e s k i n t e s t r e a c t l on s . I t wa s
c on c l u de d t h a t t h l s s k i n t e s t c ou l d b e us e d wi t h t h e s e r ol og i c a l
x i
t e s t f o r t he p r a c t i c a l s e l e c t i on of a ni mi s t ha t ha ve a l r e a d y
a c q u i r e d r e s i s t a n c e by n a t u r a l i n f e s t a t i o n . The t e s t c ou l d a l s o be
us e d t o me a s ur e t he a d a p t a bi l i t y of i ndi vi dui s t o e n vi r on me n t a l
s t r e s s .