Pre-clinical evaluation of a whole-parasite vaccine to control human babesiosis

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Al-Nazal, Hanan A
Cooper, Emily
Ho, Mei Fong
Eskandari, Sharareh
Majam, Victoria
Giddam, Ashwini Kumar
Hussein, Waleed M
Islam, Md Tanjir
Skwarczynski, Mariusz
Toth, Istvan
Kumar, Sanjai
Zaid, Ali
Batzloff, Michael
Stanisic, Danielle I
Good, Michael F
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2021
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Abstract

Babesia spp. are tick-transmitted intra-erythrocytic protozoan parasites that infect humans and animals, causing a flu-like illness and hemolytic anemia. There is currently no human vaccine available. People most at risk of severe disease are the elderly, immunosuppressed, and asplenic individuals. B. microti and B. divergens are the predominant species affecting humans. Here, we present a whole-parasite Babesia vaccine. To establish proof-of-principle, we employed chemically attenuated B. microti parasitized red blood cells from infected mice. To aid clinical translation, we produced liposomes containing killed parasite material. Vaccination significantly reduces peak parasitemia following challenge. B cells and anti-parasite antibodies do not significantly contribute to vaccine efficacy. Protection is abrogated by the removal of CD4+ T cells or macrophages prior to challenge. Importantly, splenectomized mice are protected by vaccination. To further facilitate translation, we prepared a culture-based liposomal vaccine and demonstrate that this performs as a universal vaccine inducing immunity against different human Babesia species.

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Cell Host & Microbe

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This publication has been entered in Griffith Research Online as an advanced online version.

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Subject

Microbiology

Medical microbiology

Biochemistry and cell biology

B. divergens

B. microti

Babesia

T cells

heterologous protection

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Al-Nazal, HA; Cooper, E; Ho, MF; Eskandari, S; Majam, V; Giddam, AK; Hussein, WM; Islam, MT; Skwarczynski, M; Toth, I; Kumar, S; Zaid, A; Batzloff, M; Stanisic, DI; Good, MF, Pre-clinical evaluation of a whole-parasite vaccine to control human babesiosis, Cell Host & Microbe, 2021

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