A) Transcript stability in the blood treated with an RNA stabilization agent. Aliquots of human blood were spiked with leptospires (100 cells/ml), mixed with an RNase stabilization agent (TRIzol), and each aliquot was stored at room temperature for various times (0–120 hours). Following storage, levels of 16S rRNA transcripts were measured using qRT-PCR assays. Data represent results from three independent experiments. B) Transcript stability in the blood stored at various temperatures in the absence of any RNA stabilization agent. Spiked samples were prepared as described above and stored either at room temperature or at various cold temperatures (4°C, -20°C, and -80°C) up to 14 days, and transcript levels were monitored by qRT-PCR analyses. Transcript levels of “0 hour” were considered as 100%, which served as baseline controls, which displayed significant differences in transcript levels in groups marked by an asterisk (ANOVA, p<0.05). Data represent results from three independent experiments.