Changes on bovine aorta endothelial cells (BAE) proteome upon infection with the rickettsia Ehrlichia ruminantium

The rickettsia Ehrlichia ruminantium (ER) is an obligatory intracellular bacterium transmitted by Ambyomma ticks and the causative agent of heartwater, a fatal tick-borne disease of ruminants in sub-Saharan Africa and in the Caribbean with high economical impact in endemic countries (Allsopp 2010). Several vaccine candidates are being tested, but none has shown to be fully effective. This is due to the high ER antigenic diversity and the lack of knowledge on ER pathogenesis.