IMMUNODOMINANT T-CELL ANTIGENS AND EPITOPES OF BABESIA-BOVIS AND BABESIA-BIGEMINA

Despite convincing evidence that T cells are critical for both cellula r and humoral immunity against haemoprotozoan parasites, the difficult y of performing meaningful experiments in cattle that would define the role of T cells in immunity to Babesia spp. has impeded research in t his area. However, experiments performed ex vivo with immune T cells c an reflect in-vivo events, and provide valuable insight into the natur e of immunogenic proteins and the responding lymphocytes. The progress made towards identification of the immunogenic proteins and epitopes that stimulate anamnestic CD4(+) type-1 (interferon-gamma-producing) T -cell responses in cattle immune to challenge with Babesia bovis or B. bigemina is the subject of the present review.