TABLE 4.
Ocular colonization by P. aeruginosa strain PA103 and the retS and exsA mutants at 48 h postinoculation in the 6-h healing murine model of corneal infection
| Strain | Infecting dose (no. of CFU [106] in 5 μl) | Median final viable count (CFU/ml) (lower quartile-upper quartile)a at 48 h |
|---|---|---|
| PA103 | 1.9 | 2.1 × 107 (1.6 × 107-2.3 × 107) |
| retS mutant | 2.6 | 7.8 × 105 (5.5 × 105-3.1 × 106)b |
| exsA mutant | 1.8 | 2.1 × 105 (1.9 × 105-5.2 × 105) |
a
Significant difference in colonization among all groups (P = 0.004, Kruskal-Wallis test).
b
Increased colonization (3.7-fold) by the retS mutant over that by the exsA mutant (P < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test).