OMPA and ASP14 in vaccine compositions and as diagnostic targets

摘要

Anaplasma phagocytophilum surface proteins Asp14 and OmpA and homologous genes from Anaplasmatacaea family members are used in compositions suitable for vaccines to treat or prevent infections caused by tick-born bacteria of the Anaplasmatacaea family. Asp14 and/or OmpA proteins or peptide fragments may be used in combination with other Anaplasmatacaea surface proteins to elicit an immune response. Furthermore, antibodies to Asp14 and/or OmpA proteins can be used in diagnostic methods to determine whether an individual has contracted an Anaplasmatacaea infection. Because of the conserved invasin domains in the surface proteins, a wide range of Anaplasmatacaea infections may be diagnosed, treated or prevented using compositions of the invention.

主权项

1. A method of determining if a subject has been exposed to or is infected with an obligate intracellular Anaplasmataceae bacterium selected from the group consisting of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma marginale, and Anaplasma platys, wherein said subject is suspected of having a zoonotic disease caused by an obligate intracellular Anaplasmataceae bacterium, comprising the steps of
contacting a test sample from said subject, under conditions that allow polypeptide-antibody complexes to form, with a composition that includes one or more polypeptides, at least one of which comprises an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:2, detecting one or more polypeptide-antibody complexes in said test sample, wherein the detection is an indication that antibodies specific for Anaplasmataceae Asp 14 are present in the test sample, and determining said subject has been exposed to or is infected with said Anaplasmataceae bacterium if said antibodies specific for Anaplasmataceae Asp 14 are present in the test sample.