Abstract: The present invention relates to parasitic nematode transglutaminase proteins; to parasitic nematode transglutaminase nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such transglutaminase proteins; to antibodies raised against such transglutaminase proteins; and to compounds that inhibit parasitic nematode transglutaminase activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from diseases caused by parasitic nematodes. This invention also relates to the surprising discovery that parasitic nematode transglutaminase proteins have protein disulfide isomerase activity. Accordingly, this invention relates further to inhibitors of the protein disulfide isomerase activity of said transglutaminases.

Abstract: In broad terms, the present invention includes materials and methods useful to distinguish between and among species of a genus. The present methods utilize the differences in PCR amplicon sizes to specifically identify a given species.

Abstract: The present invention relates to arthropod esterase proteins; to arthropod esterase nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such esterase proteins; to antibodies raised against such esterase proteins; and to other compounds that inhibit arthropod esterase activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from hematophagous arthropod infestation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to arthropod epoxide hydrolase proteins; to arthropod epoxide hydrolase nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such epoxide hydrolase proteins; to antibodies raised against such epoxide hydrolase proteins; and to other compounds that inhibit arthropod epoxide hydrolase activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from hematophagous arthropod infestation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to feline Fc epsilon receptor alpha chain nucleic acid molecules, compositions comprising such nucleic acid molecules, and methods to use such nucleic acid molecules to produce feline Fc epsilon receptor alpha chain proteins.

Abstract: The present invention relates to: parasitic helminth cuticlin proteins; parasitic helminth cuticlin nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such cuticlin proteins; antibodies raised against such cuticlin proteins; and compounds that inhibit parasitic helminth cuticlin activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from diseases caused by parasitic helminths.

Abstract: The present invention relates to parasitic nematode transglutaminase proteins; to parasitic nematode transglutaminase nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such transglutaminase proteins; to antibodies raised against such transglutaminase proteins; and to compounds that inhibit parasitic nematode transglutaminase activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from diseases caused by parasitic nematodes.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method to treat an obligate carnivore for a disease of abnormal carbohydrate metabolism. The method includes the step of feeding the carnivore a nutritionally balanced diet that includes a low carbohydrate content, a high protein content, and a moderate fat content. The present invention also includes such a nutritionally balanced diet and a method to produce such a diet.

Abstract: The present invention provides experimentally-generated cold-adapted equine influenza viruses, and reassortant influenza A viruses comprising at least one genome segment of such an equine influenza virus, wherein the equine influenza virus genome segment confers at least one identifying phenotype of the cold-adapted equine influenza virus, such as cold-adaptation, temperature sensitivity, dominant interference, or attenuation. Such viruses are formulated into therapeutic compositions to protect animals from diseases caused by influenza A viruses, and in particular, to protect horses from disease caused by equine influenza virus. The present invention also includes methods to protect animals from diseases caused by influenza A virus utilizing the claimed therapeutic compositions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to: parasitic helminth asparaginase proteins; parasitic helminth asparaginase nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such asparaginase proteins; antibodies raised against such asparaginase proteins; and compounds that inhibit parasitic helminth asparaginase activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from diseases caused by parasitic helminths.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method to detect chronic pulmonary diseases of the airways associated with anti-Fc.sub..epsilon. R IgG autoantibodies. Preferred diseases to detect include atopic asthma and non-atopic asthma. The invention also includes methods to prescribe and monitor treatment for animals with such diseases. Also included are kits to detect disease as well as kits to prescribe or monitor treatment. The present invention also includes formulations to treat chronic pulmonary diseases of the airways associated with anti-Fc.sub..epsilon. R IgG autoantibodies. Preferred formulations include compounds that inhibit the ability of anti-Fc.sub..epsilon. R IgG autoantibodies in susceptible animals to bind to Fc.sub..epsilon. R-expressing cells. Also included are methods to treat such diseases.

Abstract: The present invention includes novel recombinant canine herpes virus (CHV) and novel recombinant CHV genomes, and particularly to those CHV and CHV genomes that contain heterologous nucleic acid molecules. The present invention also relates to the use of such genomes and viruses in a variety of applications, including as therapeutic compositions to protect animals from disease. The present invention also relates to novel isolated CHV nucleic acid molecules, to CHV proteins encoded by such nucleic acid molecules, and to antibodies raised against such CHV proteins as well as to the use of such CHV nucleic acid molecules, proteins and antibodies as therapeutic compositions to protect an animal from CHV. The present invention also includes constructs comprising CHV nucleic acid molecules that include heterologous nucleic acid molecules, to recombinant vectors including such constructs, and to the use of such constructs and vectors in the production of recombinant CHV and recombinant CHV genomes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to arthropod epoxide hydrolase proteins; to arthropod epoxide hydrolase nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such epoxide hydrolase proteins; to antibodies raised against such epoxide hydrolase proteins; and to other compounds that inhibit arthropod epoxide hydrolase activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from hematophagous arthropod infestation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to: Dirofilaria and Brugia thioredoxin peroxidase type-2 (TPx-2) proteins; Dirofilaria and Brugia TPx-2 nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such TPx-2 proteins; antibodies raised against such TPx-2 proteins; and compounds that inhibit Dirofilaria and Brugia TPx-2 activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from diseases caused by parasitic helminths.

Abstract: The present invention relates to arthropod epoxide hydrolase proteins; to arthropod epoxide hydrolase nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such epoxide hydrolase proteins; to antibodies raised against such epoxide hydrolase proteins; and to other compounds that inhibit arthropod epoxide hydrolase activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from hematophagous arthropod infestation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to parasitic helminth DiAg2 proteins; to parasitic helminth DiAg2 nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such DiAg2 proteins; to antibodies raised against such DiAg2 proteins; and to compounds that inhibit parasitic helminth DiAg2 activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from diseases caused by parasitic helminths.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel method to immunize an animal against a heterologous antigen. The method includes the step of administering to the animal, by an intranasal route, a conjunctival route, or a combination thereof, a composition comprising a recombinant raccoon poxvirus having a nucleic acid molecule encoding such a heterologous antigen. Animals to be immunized include those that are susceptible to such routes of recombinant raccoon poxvirus administration. Preferred animals to immunize include felids. Preferably, any immune response generated by the animal against viral antigens of the recombinant raccoon poxvirus is sufficiently small so as to not prevent the animal from eliciting an immune response to a heterologous antigen encoded by a recombinant raccoon poxvirus subsequently administered to the animal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to feline Fc epsilon receptor alpha chain nucleic acid molecules, proteins encoded by such nucleic acid molecules, antibodies raised against such proteins, and inhibitors of such proteins. The present invention also includes methods to detect IgE using such proteins and antibodies. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to mediate Fc epsilon receptor-mediated biological responses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to Dirofilaria ankyrin proteins and to Brugia ankyrin proteins; to Dirofilaria ankyrin nucleic acid molecules and to Brugia ankyrin nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such ankyrin proteins; to antibodies raised against such ankyrin proteins; and to compounds that inhibit Dirofilaria or Brugia ankyrin function. The present invention also includes methods to identify and obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from diseases caused by parasitic helminths.

Abstract: The present invention relates to arthropod esterase proteins; to arthropod esterase nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such esterase proteins; to antibodies raised against such esterase proteins; and to other compounds that inhibit arthropod esterase activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from hematophagous arthropod infestation.