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Injection of crude protein extracts from salivary gland of Argas persicus (Oken) in Evian spring chickens led to the stimulation of an immunological reaction to A. persicus infestation. Analysis of serum protein from vaccinated chickens showed variation in the number and content of each protein band compared with control chickens. The protein bands, with Rf values 0.095, 0.120 and 0.135 (MW 173, 158 and 151.2 kDa, respectively), represent immunoglobulins that increased through the vaccination process. Some protein bands appeared only in the serum of vaccinated chickens. These proteins may be either newly synthesized or in such low concentration in the control chickens that they are below the limit of detection. The fractionated proteins (26 fractions) were titrated with the sera of the vaccinated chickens. Fractions numbered 1, 2, 4, 9, 14 and 15 only showed positive reactions.

Blood samples were taken from 50 cattle (5 Bos indicus, 5 crossbreeds between B. indicus and Bos taurus, and 40 B. taurus, Frizian strain). There was no Boophilus (B.) annulatus Say infestation on 5 B. indicus; moderate infestation on the crossbreeds and heavy infestation on B. taurus. Ticks collected from B. taurus were dissected to obtain salivary glands (S) and guts (G). The tick organs were processed for separation of proteins with 7% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Seven gut protein bands of molecular weights 2000, 1500, 500, 205, 150, 66, and 12 KDa were designated G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7 and four salivary gland protein bands of molecular weights 205, 190, 150 and 97 KDa were designated S1, S2, S3, S4. All were used as tick antigens for the detection of antibodies by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). It was found that all 5 B. indicus and 5 crossbreeds had antibodies to all salivary gland proteins employed in the ELISA test. All B. taurus had antibodies to G1 and t...