Establishment of an Artificial Tick Feeding System to Study Theileria lestoquardi Infection

摘要: The establishment of good experimental models for Theileria sp. infection is important theileriosis research. Routinely, ticks accomplished by feeding on parasite-infected animals (sheep, cows and horses), which raises practical ethical problems, driving the search alternative methods tick infection. Artificial systems are based mainly rearing host-derived or hand-made artificial membranes. We developed a modified assay infecting nymphal stages Hyalomma anatolicum with lestoquardi, highly pathogenic parasite sheep. compared two different membranes: an silicone membrane natural using mouse skin. observed high attachment rates skin, whereas in vitro H. nymphs membranes was unsuccessful. could infect T. lestoquardi emerging adult transmitted infective parasites to In contrast, similar infections Rhipicephalus bursa, representative short mouth-parts that proposed as vector appeared not be competent species. This first report experimentally controlled opens avenues explore tick-parasite dynamics detail.