Table 2. Relationship between the initial and final number of borrelia cells/mL (Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii, and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto) assessed by Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient.

Temperature	Initial/final number* of B. afzelii strains/mL (rho)	P value
4°C	0.105	0.291
23°C	0.514	< 0.001
28°C	0.381	< 0.001
33°C	0.551	< 0.001
37°C	0.110	0.019
Temperature	Initial/final number* of B. garinii strains/mL (rho)	P value
4°C	0.154	0.127
23°C	0.329	0.001
28°C	0.294	0.003
33°C	0.454	< 0.001
37°C	0.269	0.007
Temperature	Initial/final number* of B. burgdorfer isensu stricto/mL (rho)	P value
4°C	0.052	0.585
23°C	0.434	< 0.001
28°C	0.446	< 0.001
33°C	0.460	< 0.001
37°C	0.330	< 0.001

*Growth was defined as an increase of the number of cells comparing the initial and the final number of cells/mL after three days of incubation at individual temperature (4, 23, 28, 33, and 37°C) presenting as Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient.