Commercialisation of a recombinant vaccine against<i>Boophilus microplus</i>

TLDR

There is a growing need for non‑chemical methods to control cattle tick infestations, driven by market demands and the inadequacy of current technologies. The study develops a recombinant Bm86 vaccine for cattle ticks and explores opportunities to enhance it and extend the approach to other blood‑feeding parasites. The vaccine works by delivering anti‑Bm86 antibodies during the tick’s blood meal, with the Bm86 antigen isolated and expressed as a recombinant protein. Field trials, full registration, and commercial deployment in Australia confirm the vaccine’s efficacy, and a similar product has also been developed in Cuba.

Abstract

Summary Increasingly, there is need for methods to control cattle tick ( Boophilus microplus ) infestations by the use of non-chemical technology. This need is brought about by a mixture of market forces and the failure or inadequacy of existing technology. A recombinant vaccine has now been developed against the tick. This vaccine relies on the uptake with the blood meal of antibody directed against a critical protein in the tick gut. The isolation of the vaccine antigen, Bm86, and its production as a recombinant protein is briefly described. The vaccine has been tested in the field, has been taken through the full registration process and is now in commercial use in Australia. A related development has occurred in Cuba. The potential for improvement of the current vaccine and for the development of similar vaccines against other haematophagous parasites is discussed.