Induction of anti-Theileria sergenti antibodies in calves with murine monoclonal anti-idiotype antibody.
Anti-idiotype (anti-Id) antibody that contains an internal image of Theileria sergenti (T. sergenti) merozoite surface antigen was intramuscularly inoculated to calves to induce anti-T. sergenti antibody. In immunized calves, anti-anti-Id antibodies were induced and these antibodies bound to merozoites of T. sergenti were confirmed by immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In this experiment, one calf with the highest antibody titer against anti-Id antibody was intravenously challenged with T. sergenti-infected erythrocytes to show insufficient protective effects of the anti-anti-Id antibodies against the challenge.