Tick-borne Babesia parasites are able to infect erythrocytes of multiple species of vertebrates causing diseases of global impact.  Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) bovine erythrocytes and their surface texture were imaged.  Non-infected and Babesia bovis (Mo7 strain) erythrocytes are compared.  Merozoites inside the cell and free merozoites were also imaged and compared.Antibodies have the ability to bind antigens expressed in the cell surface.  A secondary antibody conjugated with easily detectable gold nanoparticles can bind to the already bound antibody.  We use the AFM to image these gold-antibody conjugates. This technique can provide a new method to detect B. bovis antigens that are either expressed in the surface of erythrocytes or merozoites, and thus it can help to define new vaccine targets.

Imaging <i>Babesia bovis</i> infected erythrocytes and free parasites using   atomic force microscopy

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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Imaging Babesia bovis infected erythrocytes and free parasites using atomic force microscopy