Tick bacteria evade the immune system by variation in surface proteins
Monday, June 7, 2010 - 08:20
in Health & Medicine
Scientists have shown that antigenic variation occurs in the tick bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum in cases of prolonged infection in lambs. In addition, certain varieties of tick bacteria lead to a prolonged infection of varying levels for at least six months and that the skin can act as a storage depot for bacteria.