AUTHOR=Deng Hongkuan , Pang Qiuxiang , Zhao Bosheng , Vayssier-Taussat Muriel 

TITLE=Molecular Mechanisms of Bartonella and Mammalian Erythrocyte Interactions: A Review

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2018.00431

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2018.00431

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>Bartonellosis is an infectious disease caused by <italic>Bartonella</italic> species that are distributed worldwide with animal and public health impact varying according to <italic>Bartonella</italic> species, infection phase, immunological characteristics, and geographical region. <italic>Bartonella</italic> is widely present in various mammals including cats, rodents, ruminants, and humans. At least 13 <italic>Bartonella</italic> species or subspecies are zoonotic. Each species has few reservoir animals in which it is often asymptomatic. <italic>Bartonella</italic> infection may lead to various clinical symptoms in humans. As described in the <italic>B.tribocorum</italic>-rat model, when <italic>Bartonella</italic> was seeded into the blood stream, they could escape immunity, adhered to and invaded host erythrocytes. They then replicated and persisted in the infected erythrocytes for several weeks. This review summarizes the current knowledge of how <italic>Bartonella</italic> prevent phagocytosis and complement activation, what pathogenesis factors are involved in erythrocyte adhesion and invasion, and how <italic>Bartonella</italic> could replicate and persist in mammalian erythrocytes. Current advances in research will help us to decipher molecular mechanisms of interactions between <italic>Bartonella</italic> and mammalian erythrocytes and may help in the development of biological strategies for the prevention and control of bartonellosis.</p>