The development of Amblyomma americanum and Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae) fed on rabbits immunized with tick hemolymph.

The possibility of interfering with the normal function of tick hemolymph using antihemolymph antibodies taken in with the bloodmeal, was investigated. Cell free hemolymph from replete Amblyomma americanum and Dermacentor variabilis ticks was used to immunize rabbits. Immunized rabbits developed high antihemolymph antibody titers (ca. 10(5)) and had no ill side effects. Rabbits were simultaneously infested with larvae, nymphs, and adult ticks. The biological performance of ticks fed on immunized rabbits was virtually identical to that of ticks fed on nonimmunized rabbits. Usually, the mean engorgement weights of nymphs and females and the weights of the egg masses of both species were slightly higher for ticks fed on the nonimmunized rabbits but differences were not significant (P greater than 0.05) due to a large standard deviation. The possibility of deactivating a single hemolymph component with specific antibodies is discussed.