A tick cell line as a powerful tool to screen the antimicrobial susceptibility of the tick-borne pathogen Anaplasma marginale.

A tick cell line as a powerful tool to screen the antimicrobial susceptibility of the tick-borne pathogen Anaplasma marginale. Exp Parasitol. 2020 Jul 27;:107958 Authors: Alonso BI, Ventura ES, Esteves E, Galletti MFBM, Dall Agnol B, Martins JR, Klafke G, Reck J, Fogaça AC, Daffre S Abstract Anaplasma marginale is the causative agent of the severe bovine anaplasmosis. The tick Rhipicephalus microplus is one of the main vectors of A. marginale in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. After the tick bite, the bacterium invades and proliferates within the bovine erythrocytes leading to anemia, impairment of milk production and weight loss. In addition, infection can cause abortion and high mortality in areas of enzootic instability. Immunization with live and inactivated vaccines are employed to control acute bovine anaplasmosis. However, they do not prevent persistent infection. Consequently, infected animals, even if immunized, are still reservoirs of the bacterium and contribute to its dissemination. Antimicrobials are largely employed for the prophylaxis of bovine anaplasmosis. However, they are often used in sublethal doses which may select pre-existing resistant bacteria and induce genetic or phenotypic variations. Therefore, we propose a new standardized in vitro assay to evaluate the susceptibility of A. marginale strains to different antimicrobials. This tool will help health professionals to choose the more adequate ...
Source: Experimental Parasitology - Category: Parasitology Authors: Tags: Exp Parasitol Source Type: research