Infection of macrophages with <i>R. equi</i> affects host cell size and morphology.

<p>Macrophage monolayers were infected with ATTO 488 labeled virulent <i>R. equi</i> 103+ or attenuated <i>R. equi</i> 103− strains at increasing multiplicities (MOI) of infection. Monolayers were fixed and labelled 24 h post-infection. The cell size (panel A) and cell roundness (panel B) of infected cells were compared to control cells (not infected, indicated as MOI = 0). Green bars: no intracellular bacteria; blue bars: 1 to 5 intracellular bacteria; red bars: more than 5 intracellular bacteria. +: <i>R. equi</i> 103+; −: <i>R. equi</i> 103−. Error bars denote the standard deviation of the mean.