IL10 and infection: In accordance with our results, we speculate that B. bacilliformis induces an immunosuppression caused at least in part by elevated levels of IL-10 in the acute phase, and this is maintained in later phases with low levels of bacteremia, as occurs in B. quintana. Due to this transient immune paralysis, levels of some TH1-related and pro-inflammatory cytokines are reduced, helping the establishment and persistence of the infection at low levels of bacteremia.