The Vmp⁻ mutant <i>B. hermsii</i> has reduced spirochetemic levels in the blood of SCID mice.

<p>Each data point represents the number of spirochetes per ml of blood for an individual mouse during the first spirochetemic peak (<b>A</b>) and later during a persistent infection (day 8) in SCID mice (<b>B</b>) (n = 5 mice for each strain). These data were taken from two time points presented in <a href="http://www.plospathogens.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.ppat.1004056#ppat-1004056-g008" target="_blank">Fig. 8</a>. The spirochetemic levels of Vmp⁻ mutant were significantly less than the wild-type (WT) and reconstituted (Vmp⁺R) strains (*** <i>P</i> < 0.0001, *<i>P</i> < 0.05). Statistical significance was determined by one-way ANOVA with the Tukey’s Multiple Comparison Test.