In May 2023, an Infravec service provider CIRAD provided engorged female Hyalomma marginatum and Rhipicephalus bursa ticks. Scientists led by Dr Lesley Bell-Sakyi at the Tick Cell Biobank (TCB), used the eggs from these ticks to create primary cell cultures. As of July 2024, two H. marginatum cultures have undergone three subcultures, and three R. bursa cultures are growing. Three scientists were successfully trained.
The TCB is the only dedicated tick cell line collection globally, vital for researching ticks and the diseases they transmit. Developing cell lines from H. marginatum, a carrier of the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), and R. bursa from France will significantly aid research. This is highly valuable because generating these cell lines can take several years.
Primary cultures will be maintained and subcultured as they grow. Successful cell lines will be deposited in the TCB for global research use and reported in scientific publications. New cell lines will be available through the TCB, facilitating worldwide research on tick-borne diseases. This project is supported by Infravec, with essential service contributions from CIRAD.
According to the user’s feedback, CIRAD’s support was crucial, especially for sourcing H. marginatum ticks. Successful cell lines will significantly benefit CCHFV research.
All the operations of this project are managed by Infravec.