FIG 7.

Acute protection against systemic L. monocytogenes infection induced by immunization with topical or subcutaneous CpG adjuvant. Wild-type (WT) and TLR9-deficient (KO) mice were unimmunized or immunized with 100 μg OVA protein subcutaneously (sc) with topical (ec, 250 μg) CpG adjuvant. All mice were challenged with 5 × 10⁵ CFU Lm-OVA intravenously. (A) Schematic diagram of immunization, infection, and bacterial burden analysis timelines. (B) Scatter dot plots in log axis scale of bacterial counts in the spleen 3 days postinfection. Data summarize two independent experiments (n = 6 to 8) and are expressed as means ± SEM. **, P < 0.01; ns, no significance.