Open AccessConfirmation of Tick Bite by Detection of Antibody to Ixodes Calreticulin Salivary Protein
Author(s) -
Francisco J. Alarcón-Chaidez,
Raymond Ryan,
Stephen K. Wikel,
Kenneth R. Dardick,
Caroline Lawler,
Ivo Foppa,
Patricio Tomas,
Alexis Cushman,
Ann Hsieh,
Andrew Spielman,
Keith Bouchard,
Filiciano Dias,
Jaber Aslanzadeh,
Peter J. Krause
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
clinical and vaccine immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.649
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1556-6811
pISSN - 1556-679X
DOI - 10.1128/cvi.00201-06
Subject(s) - ixodes scapularis , tick , ixodes , biology , calreticulin , tick infestation , tick borne disease , virology , ixodes ricinus , antibody , immunology , ixodidae , biochemistry , endoplasmic reticulum
Ticks introduce a variety of pharmacologically active molecules into their host during attachment and feeding in order to obtain a blood meal. People who are repeatedly exposed to ticks may develop an immune response to tick salivary proteins. Despite this response, people usually are unaware of having been bitten, especially if they are not repeatedly exposed to ticks. In order to develop a laboratory marker of tick exposure that would be useful in understanding the epidemiology of tick-borne infection and the immune response to tick bite, we developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibody to a recombinant form of calreticulin protein found in the salivary glands ofIxodes scapularis , a member of a complex ofIxodes ticks that serve as the vectors for Lyme disease, human babesiosis, and human granulocytic anaplasmosis. Using this assay, we tested sera obtained from C3H/HeN and BALB/c mice before and after experimental deer tick infestation. These mice developed antibody toIxodes calreticulin antigen after infestation. We then used the same assay to test sera obtained from people before and after they experienced deer tick bite(s). People experiencing deer tick bite(s) developedIxodes calreticulin-specific antibody responses that persisted for up to 17 months. ThisIxodes recombinant calreticulin ELISA provides objective evidence of deer tick exposure in people.