Bartonella bacilliformis: Molecular Mechanisms of Invasion SCIENTIFIC REVIEW

Bartonella bacilliformis causes Carrion’s disease. It invades erythrocytes during the acute phase and endothelial cells during the chronic phase of this disease. Studies have shown that flagellin, ialAB, and deformin as well as other proteins are involved in erythrocyte invasion. Endothelial cell invasion has a different mechanism. It requires a 43 kDa antigen and the activation of Rho.