Variable and Variant Protein Multigene Families in <i>Babesia bovis</i> Persistence

Abstract

Cattle infected with Babesia bovis face a bifurcated fate: Either die of the severe acute infection, or survive and carry for many years a highly persistent but generally asymptomatic infection. In this review, the author describes known and potential contributions of three variable or highly variant multigene-encoded families of proteins to persistence in the bovine host, and the mechanisms by which variability arises among these families. Ramifications arising from this variability are discussed.

Keywords

• <i>Babesia</i>
• persistent infection
• antigenic variation
• cytoadhesion
• immunodominance
• immune evasion