FIGURE 2.

Drop-plating of F. tularensis blood culture samples. Blood cultures containing F. tularensis LVS were grown at 37°C under moderate agitation (150 rpm) to a concentration of approximately 10⁹ CFU/ml. Both direct and tenfold dilutions were drop-plated as 10 μl in triplicate on CHA. The plates were monitored, and growth was recorded at the indicated times (A). Blood cultures of various F. tularensis concentrations and their tenfold dilutions were drop-plated. Growth of bacterial lawns and of individual colonies was monitored as a function of time at the indicated incubation time points (B).