[Cellular types involved in the immune response of females engorged of Boophilus microplus inoculated with Metarhizium anisopliae and Penicillium sp.].

Engorged females of Boophilus microplus were inoculated with conidia of the fungi Metarhizium anisopliae or Penicillium sp. Two bioassays constituted of six treatment groups were performed to determine the cells involved in the B. microplus immune response. In the first bioassay there were three different groups: a) engorged females inoculated with Penicillium sp. (1.36 x 10⁸ conidia/ml); b) engorged females inoculated with Tween 80 at 0.01% water solution; c) testimony group (engorged females non inoculated). Each treatment group was composed by ten ticks. The second bioassay was conducted following the same methodology described above, however, engorged females were inoculated with M. anisopliae (1.24 x 10⁸ conidia/ml). Ticks were inoculated with 1 microl of fungus suspension or Tween 80 solution directly in the idiosoma. The haemolymph of each tick was collected 24.48 and 72 hours post-challenge. In all groups were observed prohemocytes, plasmatocytes, granulocytes and spherulocytes. Adipohemocytes were identified in small number only in ticks non inoculated (testimony group). Oenocytoids were found in ticks inoculated with M. anisopliae and ticks non inoculated of both bioassays. In the first bioassay, ticks treated with Penicillium sp. presented conidial phagocytosis by granulocytes and plasmatocytes. In the second bioassay, ticks did not overcome the infection resulting in death 72 hours after post challange.