Bacterial loads, spleen weights and rate of change in CFUs per spleen and CFUs per spleen weight over time.

<p>(A) Mice were infected i.p. with 10⁶ CFUs, at indicated times CFU/spleen and spleen weights were determined. Background levels of PBS injected mice in each period (dashed line) are depicted. (B) Rate of change in CFU/spleen (Δ CFU/spleen) and rate of change in CFU/spleen weight (Δ CFU/grams of spleen) were calculated over time using the following equations: Δ CFU/spleen = mean CFUs 8 or 15 days/CFUs 5 days ± SD; Δ CFU/grams of spleen = CFU/grams of spleen 8 or 15 days/5 days ± SD. Values of p<0.05 (*) and p<0.01 (**) in relation to WT values are indicated above the bars. Experiment was repeated three times with similar results.