Immune recognition of Ornithodoros tick (Acari: Argasidae) salivary antigens by anti-Psoroptes cuniculi antibodies.

Rabbits infested with either Ornithodoros sp. ticks or Psoroptes cuniculi mites were assayed for anti-tick antibody by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Titration of rabbit serum against Ornithodoros sp. salivary gland extract (SGE) demonstrated both mite- and tick-infested animals to have elevated anti-tick antibody titers. Western blot analysis demonstrated the anti-mite and anti-tick antisera to contain antibodies with affinities for both common and unique subsets of Ornithodoros SGE proteins.