FIG 8.

Examination of marked strains in a rabbit model of IE. Six rabbits were coinoculated with 17 barcoded strains in one of two duplicate pools. Blue and red indicate oral and blood isolates, respectively. % Exp., percent expected. (A) The % Exp. Inoculum for each strain was determined by dividing the BC counts for each strain by the total BC counts for that inoculum and then multiplying by 17. (B) The % Exp. Recovered was determined similarly by the equation (% each strain in the total recovered counts for each rabbit)/(% each strain in the total inoculum counts). The dashed line represents 1/17 of total bacterial burden in each inoculum (A) and percent abundance in each rabbit (B) relative to its abundance in the corresponding inoculum. There was no significant association between strain source (blood of IE patient versus oral cavity) and virulence (P = 0.1234 by unpaired t test).