ANTIBODY IMMUNOGLOBULIN-G (IGG) RESPONSE TO ALOUATTAMYIA-BAERI (DIPTERA, CUTEREBRIDAE) PARASITISM OF HOWLER MONKEYS, ALOUATTA-PALLIATA, IN PANAMA

Lan al bot fly burdens and the presence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) anti bodies to larval antigens of Alouattamyia baeri (Shannon & Greene) wer e determined in howler monkeys, Alouatta palliata authority, from Barr o Colorado Island, Panama, during July and August of 1991 and 1992. Mo nkeys produced antibodies (IgG) to both 1st- and 3rd-instar proteins o f the monkey bot as measured by an enzyme immunoassay. The response to 1st-instar antigen was correlated with number of bets for the 1991 da ta and for pooled data from 1991 and 1992. No correlation was observed for the response to 3rd instar antigen. First-instar extracts were co mposed of 9 major proteins as visualized by SDS-PACE. Bands at 17, 25, and 32 kDa were positive in Western blots. Third-instar extracts cont ained at least 13 major bands, with those at 120 and 130 kDa reactive in immunoblots. The immune response to A. baeri may be involved in lim iting larval bot numbers.