Figure 5.

Growth kinetics of non-pathogenic and pathogenic SFGR in mammalian cells. The growth of non-pathogenic and pathogenic rickettsiae was monitored. Some of the cells that had been infected with non-pathogenic R. montanensis were superinfected with pathogenic R. japonica on day three of infection, and the growth of each Rickettsia was monitored. The growth of non-pathogenic SFGR was restricted in mammalian cells. The superinfection of the infected cells with pathogenic SFGR induced an elevated yield of the non-pathogenic SFGR and the growth of the pathogenic species.