Impact of the latch-like domain on GBS virulence.

<p>Bacteria counts in the blood and brain of mice infected with GBS WT or Δl<i>atch</i> bacteria, determined 24 h post infection (A) or at the time of death (C). The horizontal lines denote the median number of bacteria in each group of 10 mice. (B) Kaplan-Meier survival curves of CD-1 male mice following i.v. infection with GBS NCTC 10/84 or Δlatch strains. (n = 10 per group). (D–F) Histopathology of representative brain tissues from mice infected with GBS<i>Δlatch</i> (D) and WT GBS (E, F). Note significant increase of meningeal thickness and neutrophil infiltration in WT infected brain tissue, but not in animals infected with the Δ<i>latch</i> variant.