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ARS Home » Plains Area » Kerrville, Texas » Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory » LAPRU » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #336030
Research Project: Cattle Fever Tick Control and Eradication

Location: Livestock Arthropod Pests Research

Title: Research and development of anti-tick vaccines for use in Texas and Puerto Rico Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus control programs

Author
item Miller, Robert
item Guerrero, Felicito
item SOLTERO, FRED - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item Perez De Leon, Adalberto - Beto

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/12/2016
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This year marks the first time anti-tick vaccination will be used in the United States and Puerto Rico to control, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and R. annulatus. The 110-year-old Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program has eradicated the southern cattle fever tick from the majority of the United States. A permanent quarantine zone (PQZ) along the Texas/Mexico border is continually monitored by USDA APHIS inspectors. Ticks discovered in the PQA are re-eradicated using chemical pesticides. Rhipicephalus microplus are endemic in Puerto Rico. A 3-year study sponsored by the Puerto Rican Department of Agriculture and administered by USDA ARS and USDA APHIS VS to develop an integrated approach to control ticks on the island is close to completion. A key component to this integrated program is vaccination against ticks. Since 2009 the USDA Agricultural Research Service has been involved in the research and development of anti-cattle fever tick vaccines for use in the PQZ and Puerto Rico. Herein we report the results of research into the safety and efficacy of commercially available vaccines, vaccines in the market pipeline, and newly developed vaccines based on antigens discovered through reverse vaccinology at our laboratory.