Fig 6. Initial colonization of mechanically-damaged aortic valves.

Animals were infected with 10⁸ or 10⁷ CFU of the indicated strain. At the 10⁸ CFU inoculum, n = 7 for M99, and n = 6 for PS3515 and PS3516. For the 10⁷ CFU inoculum, n = 8 for M99 and PS3516, and n = 7 for PS3515. Numbers of bacteria attached to aortic valve vegetations (A and B) or in the peripheral blood (C and D) were assessed 1 h post-infection. Asterisks indicate p<0.05.