FIG. 3.

Clearance of NTHI UC19 from BAL fluid (A) and homogenized lung (B) following challenge of rats immunized with either 20 or 40 μg of rTbpB compared to nonimmune animals. The percent clearance in the rTbpB-immunized groups (five rats per group) was calculated as 100 minus the percent ratio of the mean CFU recovered from the immunized group divided by the mean of the nonimmune group. The mean of the CFU recovered from nonimmune animals (10 rats) was given the value of 0% clearance. The error bar represents the standard error of the mean expressed as a percentage. The clearance of immune compared to nonimmune groups was dose dependent, and immunization with both doses of rTbpB resulted in significantly enhanced clearance at 4 h (*, P < 0.05; ▾, P < 0.005).