Figure 3. Zinc protects against translocation of intestinal E. coli to other organs.

Bacterial translocation in mice was characterised by the plating method and colony counting. An enhanced bacterial invasion and translocation to (A) spleen and (B) liver was observed in E. coli-infected mice, which were norm zinc fed. Mice under norm zinc supplementation (white bar) were compared to the high zinc administered mice (dark bar). In order to avoid CFU counting mistakes as consequence of dilution, a threshold was put at 20 CFU as a lower detection limit. Each n = 5, *P < 0.05, Chi square test.