FIG 5 .

Polymicrobial infection augments M. catarrhalis persistence in vivo. Chinchillas were infected with 10³ CFU of H. influenzae or H. influenzae luxS, 10⁴ CFU of M. catarrhalis, or a mixture of both species. (A) Middle ear effusion fluids were removed for enumeration of viable H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis bacteria by plating on sBHI medium plus clarithromycin or BHI medium, respectively. (B) Bullae were removed at each time point and homogenized for enumeration of viable H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis bacteria, as described above. Data represent the mean results from four experiments ± SEM. ***, P < 0.005 compared to the number of CFU from M. catarrhalis single-species bullar homogenate.