VWF and endocarditis: Staphylococcal von Willebrand factor (vWF)-binding protein Vwbp binds to vWF under shear stress, contributing to blood vessel adhesion [64], initiation of endocarditis, and is a virulence determinant in joint-invasion and septic arthritis ([65] and references therein), although the molecular mechanism of binding has yet to be determined.