Efficacy of treatment with riboflavin and ultraviolet light to inactivate Anaplasma marginale and Babesia bigemina in bovine blood stored for transfusion

• Grant number: 09/52398-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2009
• End date: November 30, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Raimundo Souza Lopes
• Grantee: Raimundo Souza Lopes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Inactivation of pathogens is very important as there is a possibility of transmission of infectious agents in blood transfusion is possible. The aim of this study is to evaluate possible biochemical and hematologic alterations in bovine blood from healthy animals and those infected with Anaplasma marginale and Babesia bigemina. The blood will be stored in plastic bags containing citrate- adenine-phosphate-dextrose (CPDA-1). The efficacy of Riboflavin and Ultraviolet Irradiation to inactivate Anaplasma sp and Babesia sp will also be investigated. First stage: Group 1 will be consisted of blood from healthy animals stored in plastic bags and Group 2 will be consisted of blood infected with Anaplasma sp. and Babesia sp. stored in plastic bags. In both groups, hematologic alterations in bovine blood will be evaluated within 21 days of blood storage. Second stage: after blood storage, the infected bovine blood will undergo treatment with Riboflavin and Ultraviolet Irradiation. To evaluate the inactivation of the hemoparasites, blood will be analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Blood will be then inoculated into splenectomized cattle in order to indentify if the hemoparasites were inactivated, completely eliminated or reduced. (AU)