Objective Bovine babesiosis is a tick-borne disease mainly caused by the intraerythrocytic parasites Babesia bovis and B. bigemina. It affects cattle in tropical and subtropical regions, severely limiting meat and milk production. New tools are needed for its efficient control, including better surveillance in the face of control measures and development of improved vaccines. The main scientific objective of this work is to provide a molecular characterization of different B. bovis and B. bigemina field isolates that infect cattle in Mediterranean and Latin American countries, to detect their differences and similarities, in particular regarding identification of sequence polymorphisms in genes that codify for surface antigens that were previously defined as potential vaccine and diagnostic candidates. The main technological objective is to develop and test new diagnostic methods for bovine babesiosis in the participant countries. The specific aims are: a) Collection of blood samples from B. bovis and B. bigemina-naturally infected cattle from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Turkey; b) Production of biological clones from some of the isolates collected; c) Studies of genetic and antigenic polymorphisms in genes codifying for already defined vaccine and diagnostic candidates; d) Definition of molecular markers and techniques that can be useful for strain characterization; e) Studies of alternative reservoirs among other ruminants and wildlife species for B. bovis and B. bigemina and f) Development of new diagnostic methods, including cELISA, strip tests and Real Time PCR, and comparison of their effectiveness with other available diagnostic tests. Accomplishment of these goals will provide new biotechnological tools and useful information about these parasites, which will contribute to the improved control of bovine babesiosis. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNAnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyprotozoologymedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsvaccinesagricultural sciencesanimal and dairy sciencedomestic animalsanimal husbandrynatural sciencesbiological scienceszoologymammalogy Keywords Babesia bigemina Babesia bovis babesiosis bovine diagnosis hemoparasites livestock piroplasmosis sequencing strain-specific molecular markers surface antigens vaccines wildlife reservoirs Programme(s) FP6-INCO - Specific measures in support of international cooperation: Specific activities covering wider field of research under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) INCO-2002-A3.1 - Health of livestock populations Call for proposal FP6-2002-INCO-DEV-1 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project Coordinator UNIVERSITY OF ALCALÁ DE HENARES Address Colegio mayor san ildefonso, plaza de san diego s/n Alcalá de henares Spain See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (6) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all ISTITUTO ZOOPROFILATTICO SPERIMENTALE DELLA SICILIA Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address Via gino marinuzzi n.3 Palermo See on map Links Website Opens in new window ERCIYES UNIVERSITESI VETERINER FAKULTESI (ERCIYES UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE) Türkiye EU contribution € 0,00 Address Baros manco cad. no. 1 Kayseri See on map Links Website Opens in new window INSTITUTO DE BIOLOGIA EXPERIMENTAL E TECNOLOGICA Portugal EU contribution € 0,00 Address Av. da republica, qta. do marquês, ap 12 Oeiras See on map Links Website Opens in new window CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIONES EN CIENCIAS VETERINARIAS Y AGRONÓMICAS, INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TECNOLOGÍA AGROPECUARIA Argentina EU contribution € 0,00 Address Los reseros y las cabañas Castelar See on map EMPRESA BRASILEIRA DE PESQUISA AGROPECUÁRIA- CENTRO NACIONAL DE PESQUISA DE GADO DE CORTE Brazil EU contribution € 0,00 Address Rodovia 262, km-4. area rural Campo grande See on map Links Website Opens in new window INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE INVESTIGACIONES FORESTALES, AGRÍCOLAS Y PECUARIAS Mexico EU contribution € 0,00 Address Serapio rendon # 83, colonia san rafael, delegacion cuauhtemoc Mexico df See on map Links Website Opens in new window
