A LIGHT MICROSCOPIC STUDY OF PSOROPTES OVIS (ACARI: PSOROPTIDAE): GENERAL MORPHOLOGY AND IMMUNOCYTOCHEMISTRY USING SERUM FROM INFESTED ANIMALS

Authors: Beetham, Patricia

Submitted to: Annals of the Entomological Society of America
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/4/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The mouthparts and external morphology of the cattle mange mite, Psoroptes ovis (Hering) (Acari: Psoroptidae), have been described in detail, but nothing has been published on digestive system structure of this species. The digestive system is of interest as a target organ for a vaccine and as a protein source that could be used as a vaccine to protect cattle from mange mite. Like many other external parasites, multiple mange mite infestations produce some levels of host resistance although this acquired resistance is not sufficient to prevent economic losses. An animal with this acquired resistance may become a carrier of mites and, subsequently, infest surrounding animals. Understanding the structure of the digestive system of the mange mite is necessary to help identify targets in specific regions of the digestive tract that, if disrupted, would cause death of the mite. In this study, the basic structure of the digestive, nervous, and reproductive systems were defined by light microscopy. Sera from a mite-infested animal and an animal with repeated mite infestations were compared with sera from uninfested animals to determine if these targets exist in the mite digestive system. Sera from mite-infested animals reacted positive, confirming that the gut is a possible site to be targeted for disruption to the digestive system causing death and providing for an alternative control for this parasite.

Technical Abstract: The basic morphology of the digestive, reproduction, and nervous systems of Psoroptes ovis was defined by light microscopy. An understanding of the structure of the digestive system of P. ovis is prerequisite to identification of target antigens in specific regions of the digestive tract using immunocytochemistry. Sera from a mite- infested animal and an animal with repeated mite infestations were used to determine antibody specificity to the mite digestive system, and these were compared with the sera from uninfested animals.