<i>S</i>. <i>aureus</i> bacteria were efficiently cleared from ocular surface of WT mice compared to SP-D KO mice.

<p>The CFUs recovered from the tear fluid of infected WT mice were examined at 3, 6, 12 or 24 h post-inoculation with <i>S</i>. <i>aureus</i> (10⁷ CFU/eye). Rapid clearance of the bacteria was in time-dependent manner. The CFUs of <i>S</i>. <i>aureus</i> from the ocular surface in infected WT and SP-D KO mice were compared at 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after inoculation of 10⁷ CFU/eye. A significant difference of the recovered bacteria in the tear fluid exists between infected WT and SP-D KO mice after infection. The results were from three independent experiments (n = 8 to 10 mice per group). Data are shown as the median (central black bar in boxes) with upper and lower quartiles (boxed area), and range of the data (error bars).* p<0.05 in Mann-Whitney U test.