Clearance of bacteria from the blood of control and C1q-deficient mice infected i.v. with 105 CFU of Salmonella serovar Typhimurium 12023/mouse. Blood samples were collected at 1, 5, 15, and 30 min and 1, 2, 4, and 6 h postchallenge. Results are expressed as log10 viable counts ± standard errors of the means in 100 μl of blood obtained from groups of 5 to 10 mice at each time point. ∗, P < 0.05; ∗∗, P < 0.01.