# SCABIES--BIOLOGY, CULTURE, HOST SPECIFICITY AND ANTIGENS

> **NIH NIH R01** · WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY · 1992 · $216,791

## Abstract

Scabies, caused by the ectoparasitic mite, Sarcoptes scabiei, is an
important highly contagious skin disease of humans.  Worldwide, 300 million
persons are infested with scabies at any time and in some countries nearly
100% of infants and >50% of older children and women have the disease.
Scabies persists despite the availability of acaricides.  One long-term
objective will be to characterize scabies antigens and determine the host
immune response mechanisms to these antigens.  This research is a
prerequisite to the eventual production of relevant antigens by recombinant
DNA techniques and development of a vaccine for immunization of susceptible
populations for the global control of scabies.  A second long-term
objective is to investigate the immune mechanisms, host parasite
interaction, and mite biology in order to understand factors that influence
the epidemiology and pathology of the disease.

Specifically:  one aim will be to isolate and characterize the relevant
antigens of S. scabiei.  These studies will provide an understanding of
antigen structure and the molecular basis for immune recognition of the
antigens.  Column chromatography, HPLC, IEF, SDS-PAGE, CIE, CRIE and
immunoblotting will be used to isolate the antigens from whole extracts and
to physicochemically and immunologically characterize them.

Second, the study will determine the cell-mediated and humoral response
mechanisms to scabies antigens and bioassay the expression of resistance to
scabies mites for naive and sensitized hosts.  Controlled studies of the
sequential quantitative histological changes in the areas of scabietic
lesions coupled with serum antibody analyses and targeted manipulation of
some immune processes will be done.  The cell-mediated mechanism
responsible for induced resistance will be elucidated.

Many scabies mite antigens are highly cross-reactive with house dust mite
antigens.  Because of this cross-reactivity, a third aim will be to
determine if immunization with dust mite antigens will induce immunity to
scabies.  This will be accomplished by comparing the sequential
quantitative histology and expressed resistance of scabies sensitized and
house dust mite immunized hosts.

Fourth, the study will characterize the pathophysiology and histopathology
in parasitized natural hosts to establish how scabies affects the health of
the host.  This will be accomplished by investigating hematology, blood
biochemistry and organ histology.

Fifth, using choice-bioassays, pheromones (guanine) and other interactions
with host skin factors (skin lipids) will be investigated to determine that
factors mediate assembly of mating pairs, determine host specificity,
survival, and direct mites to specific body areas.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3127063
- **Project number:** 5R01AI017252-08
- **Recipient organization:** WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** NPT2UNTNHJZ1
- **Principal Investigator:** LARRY G ARLIAN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $216,791
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1981-08-01 → 1996-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3127063

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3127063, SCABIES--BIOLOGY, CULTURE, HOST SPECIFICITY AND ANTIGENS (5R01AI017252-08). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3127063. Licensed CC0.

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