Provided herein are chimeric polypeptides that may be used, e.g., for the diagnosis of or vaccination against Ehrlichia chaffeensis and/or Ehrlichia canis.

The invention provides peptide compositions and mixtures useful for the detection of antibodies that bind to Ehrlichia antigens. The peptide compositions and mixtures comprise polypeptide sequences based on an immunogenic fragment of the Ehrlichia Outer Membrane Protein 1 (OMP-1) protein. The invention also provides devices, methods, and kits comprising such peptide compositions and mixtures useful for the detection of antibodies that bind to Ehrlichia antigens and the diagnosis of monocytic and/or granulocytic ehrlichiosis.

The invention provides peptide compositions and mixtures useful for the detection of antibodies that bind to Ehrlichia antigens. The peptide compositions and mixtures comprise polypeptide sequences based on an immunogenic fragment of the Ehrlichia Outer Membrane Protein 1 (OMP-1) protein. The invention also provides devices, methods, and kits comprising such peptide compositions and mixtures useful for the detection of antibodies that bind to Ehrlichia antigens and the diagnosis of monocytic and/or granulocytic ehrlichiosis.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum surface protein AipA and/or fragments thereof which comprise an invasin domain are used in compositions suitable to elicit an immune response to treat or prevent infections caused by tick-born bacteria of the Anaplasmatacaea family. AipA proteins and protein fragments or antibodies directed to AipA proteins and protein fragments are also used in diagnostic assays to detect exposure to and/or infection with Anaplasmatacaea. AipA and/or fragments thereof are also used for these purposes in combination with one or both of Asp14 and OmpA proteins and/or fragments thereof which comprise an invasin domain. Homologs of these proteins are also used in the compositions and assays.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum surface protein AipA and/or fragments thereof which comprise an invasin domain are used in compositions suitable to elicit an immune response to treat or prevent infections caused by tick-born bacteria of the Anaplasmatacaea family. AipA proteins and protein fragments or antibodies directed to AipA proteins and protein fragments are also used in diagnostic assays to detect exposure to and/or infection with Anaplasmatacaea. AipA and/or fragments thereof are also used for these purposes in combination with one or both of Asp14 and OmpA proteins and/or fragments thereof which comprise an invasin domain. Homologs of these proteins are also used in the compositions and assays.

The present invention discloses a novel recombinant protein antigen and a vaccine composition using the same, in which the novel recombinant protein antigen is derived from the conserved sequence of a TSA56 antigen and can be useful in the diagnosis of infection with tsutsugamushi and as a vaccine for tsutsugamushi.

The present invention discloses a novel recombinant protein antigen and a vaccine composition using the same, in which the novel recombinant protein antigen is derived from the conserved sequence of a TSA56 antigen and can be useful in the diagnosis of infection with tsutsugamushi and as a vaccine for tsutsugamushi.

Certain embodiments are directed to detection methods and methods of identifying detection targets for sensitive and specific laboratory tests to diagnose and monitor rickettsial infections during the earliest stages of the disease and to assess the degree of illness.

The invention refers to a process for the production of a continuous cell line of simile embryo stem cells, such as Amblyomma sculptum (Acari: Ixodidae), known as line IBU/ASE-16 (access number with CNCM: 1-5000) and its uses. More specifically, the invention refers to a process for the production of the line IBU/ASE-16 and their use for obtaining extracts for the production of vaccines and candidate recombinant proteins for biopharmaceuticals and acaricides, production of diagnostic kits for the detection of antigens and/or antibodies for animal and human use, obtaining clones for use in genotyping and use as a substrate for the isolation and culture of pathogens.

The present invention concerns gp36 immunoreactive compositions for E. canis and gp 47 immunoreactive compositions for E. chaffeensis. In particular, epitopes for E. canis gp36 and E. chaffeensis gp 47 are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the immunoreactive compositions comprise tandem repeats having carbohydrate moieties.