Alberto Barton

Alberto Barton (1871–1950) was a Peruvian microbiologist who discovered the causative agent of Carrion's disease, a life-threatening illness endemic to the Andean region of South America. His discovery, initially overlooked, was later recognized and the bacterium was named Bartonella bacilliformis in his honor.

Early life and education[edit | edit source]

Alberto Barton was born in 1871 in Lima, Peru. He studied medicine at the San Fernando Medical School, a prestigious institution affiliated with the National University of San Marcos. After graduating, he pursued further studies in microbiology and pathology, fields that were still in their infancy at the time.

Career and discovery[edit | edit source]

Barton began his career as a researcher at the Guayaquil Naval Hospital in Ecuador. It was here that he made his groundbreaking discovery of the bacterium Bartonella bacilliformis. Despite his findings, his work was not immediately recognized by the scientific community.

In 1905, while examining the blood of a patient suffering from Carrion's disease, Barton noticed unusual, rod-shaped bacteria inside the red blood cells. He hypothesized that these bacteria were the cause of the disease. However, his findings were initially met with skepticism, as it was uncommon at the time to find bacteria living inside cells.

It was not until 20 years later, in 1926, that his discovery was finally recognized. The bacterium was named Bartonella bacilliformis in his honor, and Carrion's disease is now known to be caused by this bacterium.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Alberto Barton's discovery has had a significant impact on the field of infectious diseases. His work has led to better understanding and treatment of Carrion's disease, saving countless lives in the process. Today, Barton's contribution to medicine is widely recognized, and he is considered a pioneer in the field of microbiology.