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Infestations of sea lice (Copepoda, Caligidae) are a major health hazard for salmon farming industry in recent years, spreading to other species of farmed fish and wild salmonid populations. Vaccination could be a safe and effective method against these ectoparasites, but until now there are no commercially available vaccines. To develop a successful vaccine formulation is necessary to know the immunological interaction between host and parasite during infestation; hence the need to deeper study of immune system, which is still a challenge in Immunology. Target antigen is another important issue to obtaining strong immune responses to control these infestations. Also, it is necessary to use a proper adjuvant to enhance the typical low antibodies responses of fishes without side-effects such as melanization and adhesions. This paper presents an overview of avalaible studies on interaction between Lepeophtheirus salmonis and their hosts, as well as the current state development of vaccine candidates against this ectoparasite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whole cell Leptospirosis vaccines have been developed and used from the 20's of last century up today, most of them are not adjuvated and do not confer a long-lasting immunity. These vaccines are mainly against different serogroups of Leptospira interrogans contained in the preparation. Though several attempts to obtain a vaccinal formulation more effective, purer, with wider spectrum and longer protection than the bacterines of inactivated whole cells have been made no vaccine with these characteristics have been registered yet. This paper deals with the obtainment of outer membrane antigens from a Cuban autochthonous strain (Strain 87, L. interrogans serovar Canicola), by a modification of the technology for the production of outer membrane vesicles, patented by researchers from Finlay institute These antigens with nanoproteoliposomic structure were formulated/adjuvated by different strategies, obtaining five preparations with cochlear structures which are nanoparticles of approximately 100 to 150 nm of length and from 15 to 30 nm of diameter. Two doses of the immunogens are inoculated in the biomodel Mesocrisetus aureatus, with an interval of six weeks. The challenge was carried out with 100.000 DL50. Results showed that the new vaccinal formulations confer protection against the homologous challenge and were able to eliminate the carrier status. This, together with the robutness of the preparation method, the higher level of purity, compared to the bacterines, and the no need of aluminium hydroxide make the formulations an alternative of interest for continuing their development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis caused by a dimorphic complex of fungi called Sporothrix schenkii; it is a common disease in our country and has been reported in all continents. This paper presents a proposal of clinical classification of sporotrichosis based on its immunologic behavior, and which is divided into two groups, the first one hyperergic/normergic that presents a normal immune response to the intradermic antigen (sporotrichin M) and poor parasitic forms, and includes the most frequent clinical pictures: cutaneous-lymphatic and fixed-cutaneous; the second group or hypoergic/normergic, with low or no response to the intradermic antigen and presence of yeasts, includes the less frequent clinical pictures with opportunistic behavior: cutaneous-disseminated (hematogenous), cutaneous-superficial, osteoarticular, pulmonar and visceral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liposomes have been used as membranes models and carriers of enormous diversity of molecules with biochemical, nanobiotechnological and biomedical purposes. Considering the versatility in physico-chemical properties of these vesicles, they are attractive to design vehicles for proteins, DNA, drugs, etc. In this work, we summarize the liposomal technologies and the procedures most frequently used to study the physico-chemical characteristics of these vesicles, such as size, structural features, physical and chemical stability, electric properties and phase transitions. Liposomes are employed as immunoadjuvants due to their ability to address antigens to cells of the immune system. Additionally, the present paper describes results obtained by our group in the study of the immunmodulating properties of liposomal lipids for antigens such as EGFhr, among others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combined vaccines have a higher level of acceptance in the population because fewer immunisations are required for protection against infectious diseases. Nevertheless, new challenges have appeared due to the report of some interference among the antigens included in such vaccines. The aim of this paper was to evaluate whole-cell Pertussis (wP) interference in potency tests with other antigens like tetanus, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and hepatitis B. For that purpose, we evaluated combined vaccines and compared them with the respective monovalent vaccines. Likewise, we prepared experimental formulations with different antigen combinations to evaluate the extent and nature of the interference caused by wP. We obtained a significant increase of the tetanus and Hib biological activities when both antigens are combined with wP, although it depended on the animal model and the experimental design used. On the other hand, wP decreased both the in vivo and in vitro potency of HB in a non-significant way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preliminary identification of antigens recognized by sera from individuals vaccinated with the antileptospirosic vaccine vax-SPIRAL® in outer membrane proteins preparations from Leptospira pomoma serovar mozdok was made. In this paper we are beginning with the solubilization of the outer membrane components of Leptospira interrogans serovar mozdok, using the Nunes-Edward method. In addition we carried out the characterization of obtained fractions, the molecular weight of the protein present in this fractions and its immunogenic capacity by western and dot blot were determinate. Ours results shows that this method is not adequate to identify antigens for vaccine purposes. Humoral response was addressed to antigens absents in the outer membrane preparations with the aforementioned method. Coomassie stain showed a profile characterised by 16 bands; 6 principal bands, 49.4, 45.8, 36.7, 28.3 and 21.0 kDa and 10 lessening bans such as 66.4, 57.2, 34.1 y 32.8 kDa. The silver stain showed the presence of lipopolizacaride. Dot and western blot techniques showed the recognition of these proteins by the sera from individuals vaccinated. The humoral response was addressed mainly to the bands of 66.1, 58.3, 47.2, 45.3, 34.5, 30.0, 29.8 y 17.2 kDa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the concept of hapten is discussed , as well as the most used methods for conjugation of haptens (carboxylic acids, amines, nitro compounds, alcohols, phenols, carbohydrates, aldehydes and ketones) to carrier proteins. At present these hapten-carrier protein conjugates are useful as immunogens for obtaining polyclonal and monoclonal antisera employed in the production of immunodiagnostic reagents which represent one of the main Biotechnology applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]