Distribution of L. sakei FLEC01 (lanes A), 23K (lanes B), and LTH5590 (lanes C) strains along the GITs of axenic mice. Cell counts obtained by plating the intestinal content of duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon, and cecum of four mice (⋄, mouse 1; ▪, mouse 2; ▵, mouse 3; ×, mouse 4) are shown for the three strains. In the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, the presence of L. sakei strains was sometimes detected in only two or three mice.