Antigenic variation in babesiosis: is there more than one 'why'?
Many intraerythrocytic hemoparasites survive the host immune system through rapid antigenic variation. Among babesial parasites antigenic variation has been demonstrated convincingly only for Babesia bovis and Babesia rodhaini. The molecular basis for antigenic variation in babesial parasites and its possible connection with cytoadherence and sequestration are discussed.
Allred
D R
DR
Department of Pathobiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0880, USA. allredd@mail.vetmed.ufl.edu
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000940:Antigenic Variation / Q000276:immunology*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D016793:Babesia bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D000954:Antigens, Surface