Query: NC_008783:671349 Bartonella bacilliformis KC583, complete genome
Lineage: Bartonella bacilliformis; Bartonella; Bartonellaceae; Rhizobiales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: Cauative agent of Carrion's disease. Like other members of this genus, Bartonella bacilliformis is an obligate intracellular parasite, which infects red blood cells. Bartonella bacilliformis is the causative agent of Carrion's disease, also called Oroya fever. This disease is found in the western Andes of South America, and is transmitted through an insect vector. Carrion's disease is characterized by an acute, febrile, anemia with a mortality of 40 to 90%. The anemic phase may be followed by a milder secondary episode, characterized by wart-like skin lesions.
Subject: NC_008710:703740 Borrelia turicatae 91E135, complete genome
Lineage: Borrelia turicatae; Borrelia; Spirochaetaceae; Spirochaetales; Spirochaetes; Bacteria
General Information: This strain was isolated in the USA from the soft tick Ornithodoros turicatae. Borrelia turicatae is the causative agent of tick-borne relapsing fever in the southwestern USA. Ticks become infected with Borrelia while feeding on an infected mammal, usually a rodent or squirrel. Borrelia then multiplies rapidly, causing a generalized infection throughout the tick. While feeding, the tick passes the spirochete into a mammalian host through its infectious saliva. Relapsing fever is characterized by period of chills, fever, headache, and malaise, followed by an asymptomatic, followed by another episode of symptoms. The cycle of relapsing is due to changes in the surface proteins of Borrelia, which allow it to avoid detection and removal by the host immune system. This antigenic variation is the result of homologous recombination of silent proteins into an expressed locus, causing partial or complete replacement of one serotype with another. These plasmids carry genes involved in antigenic variation and pathogenicity.