IGG AND IGE ANTIBODIES AGAINST ANTIGENS OF THE CAT FLEA, CTENOCEPHALIDES-FELIS FELIS, IN SERA OF ALLERGIC AND NONALLERGIC DOGS

Antigens from a soluble extract of cat fleas (FS) were separated using SDS-PAGE, and transferred to nitrocellulose paper. Sera from dogs sho wn by use of a provocative flea feeding test to be either allergic (23 dogs) or non-allergic (20 dogs) to flea bites, were used in Western b lots to identify flea antigens that react with canine IgG or IgE. The sera were also tested in ELISA against FS to quantify levels of IgG an d IgE antibodies. Antibodies present in the sera of both flea allergic and non-allergic dogs identified multiple anitigens. There was a grea t diversity of responses within each group, and there was no pattern o f reactivity that distinguished dogs with flea allergy from dogs not a llergic to fleas. IgG and IgE antibodies were not significantly differ ent between the two groups of dogs. These results demonstrated that th ere is little association between particular antibody responses and al lergic reactivity of dogs to fleas.