Several pathogens are known for their ability to undergo antigenic variation:
1. Influenza Virus: The influenza virus exhibits antigenic drift and shift, leading to seasonal epidemics and occasional pandemics. 2. Trypanosoma brucei: The causative agent of African sleeping sickness undergoes antigenic variation by switching its variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs). 3. Neisseria gonorrhoeae: This bacterium causes gonorrhea and can change its pili and outer membrane proteins to evade the immune system.
