Development of a Live Attenuated Vaccine for the Control of Bovine Babesiosis in Mexico - Abstract
Bovine babesiosis is a hemoparasitic disease caused by intra-erythrocytic protozoa of the genus Babesia. It is mainly transmitted by Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus ticks and cause of a hemolytic devastating disease with a high economic impact in the cattle industry, particularly in the tropical and subtropical areas of the world where the tick vector is endemic. Immunization with in vitro culture-derived parasites is thus far the best procedure that can be used for the prevention or control of bovine babesiosis. It has been proved that when the vaccine parasites are established in the animals, the induced immune response is protective, able to respond to natural challenge with parasites of high virulence in the field. With this methodology, a better control of possible contamination with other pathogens is also achieved. It is therefore reasonable to recommend the use of the vaccine in susceptible animals that could be introduced into endemic areas. This article outlines only some of the basic studies that support the possibility of favoring a mass production, possibly of the commercial type, of a live attenuated vaccine derived from the in vitro culture for the prevention of bovine babesiosis in Mexico.