FIG 5.

Representative histopathological images of tissue sections of extirpated aortic valves from rats infected with S. mutans 7 days after infection. All rats with SA31 infection died on day 6, and heart specimens were extirpated immediately on that day. (A) Gram staining. White arrowheads indicate bacterial masses. Left panels show low-magnification images and right panels show high-magnification images. (B) Hematoxylin-eosin staining. White arrowheads indicate infiltration of inflammatory cells, and black arrowheads indicate fibrin-like deposition. Left panels show low-magnification images and right panels show high-magnification images.