Figure 6. The spirochetemic levels of the Vmp⁻ mutant are significantly less than wild-type and Vmp⁺R strains.

Each data point represents the number of spirochetes per ml of blood for an individual mouse during the first initial peak in needle-inoculated RML mice (n = 7 for Wild-type and Vmp⁺R, n = 5 for Vmp⁻) (A). First spirochetemic peak densities in RML mice infected by tick bite (10 ticks/mouse; n = 4 for Wild-type and Vmp⁺R, n = 3 for the Vmp⁻) (B). These data were taken from the first peaks shown in Fig. 3 & 5. The spirochetemic levels of Vmp⁻ mutant were significantly less than the levels of wild-type and Vmp⁺R strains (*** P < 0.0001). Statistical significance was determined by one-way ANOVA with the Tukey’s Multiple Comparison Test.