Research Communication

Assessment of acquired immune response to Rhipicephalus appendiculatus tick infestation in different goat breeds

Jeyanthi B.P. Gopalraj, Francoise C. Clarke, Edward F. Donkin
Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research | Vol 80, No 1 | a614 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ojvr.v80i1.614 | © 2013 Jeyanthi B.P. Gopalraj, Francoise C. Clarke, Edward F. Donkin | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 23 April 2013 | Published: 02 September 2013

About the author(s)

Jeyanthi B.P. Gopalraj, Department of Biology, University of Limpopo, MEDUNSA campus, South Africa
Francoise C. Clarke, Department of Biology, University of Limpopo, MEDUNSA campus, South Africa
Edward F. Donkin, Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract

Changes in serum gamma globulin levels, numbers of replete female ticks and engorged tick mass were used as parameters to monitor the acquired immune response (antibody mediated immune response) elicited by Rhipicephalus appendiculatus adult tick infestations. Three consecutive Rhipicephalus appendiculatus adult tick infestations were applied to South African Indigenous goats (Nguni), Saanen goats and cross-bred goats (Saanen goats crossed with South African Indigenous goats [Nguni]) under laboratory conditions. During the three consecutive Rhipicephalus appendiculatus adult tick infestations the serum gamma globulin levels increased in all three breeds, whilst the mean replete female tick numbers and engorged tick mass decreased. Even though all three goat breeds exhibited an acquired immune response, the South African Indigenous goats (Nguni) response was significantly higher than that of the Saanen and cross-bred goats. However, the acquired immune response elicited by Saanen goats was significantly lower when compared with cross-bred goats.

Keywords

Ticks; Rhipicephalus appendiculatus; tick infestation; immune response; Saanen goats; South African Indigenous goats; crossbred goats

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