Molecular identification and control of apicomplexan parasites

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Many of apicomplexan parasites (such as malaria, Toxoplasma and coccidia) are of serious veterinary, agricultural and medical importance. Eimeria are continuing and serious challenges to profitable rearing of commercial poultry (especially chickens). Medication costs and production losses from coccidiosis cost the poultry industry several $100 million each year in Canada. Live vaccines against coccidia are possible but are complicated by immunologically distinct strains of many Eimeria species. We have distinct lines of E. maxima that are similar to one another but do not cross-immunize birds (they do not protect against challenge with the second strain despite their similarity). The few differences that exist between these E. maxima strains must be important targets of a protective immune response. We have determined the window of development of the parasite that is susceptible to control. We propose to conduct a highly detailed molecular dissection of these two parasite strains using transcriptome analysis of these parasites during the time when immunologically relevant molecules are being produced by the parasites. We will examine any differences found for immunological relevance and, when the possible candidate molecules have been identified, vaccination candidates (live vaccines carried by non-pathogenic Salmonella/Bacillus species or via plasmid-based DNA vaccination). This exciting work is the culmination of a long period of research into the interactions that exist between these economically and medically important parasites and their vertebrate hosts.