The present invention concerns a structurally distinct immunosuppressive mimic of TGF- that is a potent inducer of murine and human regulatory T cells and provides a therapeutic agent for the treatment of inflammatory disorders. Disclosed herein is a novel parasite TGF- mimic which fully replicates the biological and functional properties of TGF-, including binding to mammalian TGF- receptors and inducing Foxp3.sup.+ Treg in both murine and human CD4.sup.+ T cells. This TGF- mimic shares no homology to mammalian TGF- or other members of the TGF- family, but s distinctly related to the component control protein (CCP) superfamily.

A modified Ac-TMP-2 protein lacks one or a plurality of acidic C-terminal amino acids normally present in a full-length or wild-type Ac-TMP-2 protein and may also lack one or a plurality of N-terminal amino acids while retaining the amino acid sequence CSC at or near the N-terminus. The modified Ac-TMP-2 protein may be useful in method and composition for reducing or alleviating inflammation in a subject. Inflammation may be associated with a disease is a disease of the digestive tract such as chronic gastritis or an inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, or a disease of the respiratory system, such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Trichinella can be detected in a tissue extract sample. A suitable kit includes (a) a detection carrier containing a first antibody against one or more antigens of Trichinella, and (b) (i) a second antibody against one or more antigens of Trichinella, wherein the second antibody is bound to a signal molecule, or (b) (ii) contains one or more antigens of Trichinella bound to a signal molecule, wherein the antigens of (b) (ii) are configured so as to dissolve binding of the antigens of (a) to the first antibody by competitive displacement.

Trichinella can be detected in a tissue extract sample. A suitable kit includes (a) a detection carrier containing a first antibody against one or more antigens of Trichinella, and (b) (i) a second antibody against one or more antigens of Trichinella, wherein the second antibody is bound to a signal molecule, or (b) (ii) contains one or more antigens of Trichinella bound to a signal molecule, wherein the antigens of (b) (ii) are configured so as to dissolve binding of the antigens of (a) to the first antibody by competitive displacement.

The present invention is a multivalent immunogenic composition for immunizing an animal against filariasis. In some embodiments, the antigens of the multivalent immunogenic composition are protein-based, DNA-based, or a combination thereof. This invention also provides a method and kit for detecting a filarial nematode and determining vaccine efficacy.

Trichinella can be detected in a tissue extract sample. A suitable kit includes (a) a detection carrier containing a first antibody against one or more antigens of Trichinella, and (b) (i) a second antibody against one or more antigens of Trichinella, wherein the second antibody is bound to a signal molecule, or (b) (ii) contains one or more antigens of Trichinella bound to a signal molecule, wherein the antigens of (b) (ii) are configured so as to dissolve binding of the antigens of (a) to the first antibody by competitive displacement.

Peptides, nematicidal compositions, transgenic microorganisms for expressing the peptides and methods of treating plant parasitic nematodes, the method comprising providing either a peptide or a nematicidal composition or a transgenic microorganism for expressing the peptide on or adjacent the plant parasitic nematodes.

The present invention relates to peptide fragments which have one or more shared and/or similar amino acid sequences to amino acid sequences of specific portions of the 14 kDa protein of S. mansoni (SM14) or related FABPs (Fatty Acid Binding Proteins), the peptide fragments functioning as continuous or discontinuous epitopic regions of the molecule or mimicking its biological activity. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for constructing active peptide fragments, peptide fragments, immunogenic compositions and diagnostic kits using peptide fragments.

Disclosed are methods of detecting the presence of Loa loa in a biological sample using one or more antigens, each having a different amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1-20. Related compositions, specific binding partners, and test kits are also disclosed.

The present invention encompasses a vaccine composition and method of use for treating heartworm infestation in mammals. The vaccine composition includes chimeric antigens engineered and manufactured using the genetic code (i.e., the amino acid or protein sequence) of the target sequence. After introduction of the vaccine composition containing the target antigen into the host (e.g., a canine), the host will generate antibodies as part of its robust immune response to the antigen. As the antibodies circulate through the host's plasma, heartworm larvae will consume the antibodies as they feed on the plasma. The antibodies will then act on internal targets of the worm recognized as antigens.