title: Bartonella infection in immunocompromised hosts: immunology of vascular infection and vasoproliferation.
abstract: Most infections by genus Bartonella in immunocompromised patients are caused by B. henselae and B. quintana. Unlike immunocompetent hosts who usually develop milder diseases such as cat scratch disease and trench fever, immunocompromised patients, including those living with HIV/AIDS and posttransplant patients, are more likely to develop different and severe life-threatening disease. This paper will discuss Bartonella's manifestations in immunosuppressed patients and will examine Bartonella's interaction with the immune system including its mechanisms of establishing infection and immune escape. Gaps in current understanding of the immunology of Bartonella infection in immunocompromised hosts will be highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA. mosepele.mosepele@uphs.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Mosepele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mosepele
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mazo
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cohn
mesh_terms: D001473:Bartonella / Q000145:classification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D018416:Bartonella henselae / Q000276:immunology; D018413:Bartonella quintana / Q000276:immunology; D002372:Cat-Scratch Disease / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host / Q000276:immunology; D014205:Trench Fever / Q000276:immunology