FIG 7.
SrcA and PmrA contribute to virulence in a murine model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. (A) Percent survival of mice infected with 2 × 106 conidia of the ΔsrcA/ΔpmrA mutant or the KU80 control strain. Groups of 12 male CF-1 mice were immunosuppressed with a single dose of triamcinolone acetonide 1 day before the infection. The mutant showed significantly attenuated virulence (***, P < 0.001 [log rank test]). (B) Histopathological analysis of lungs from mice that were treated as described for panel A in a separate experiment and sacrificed 3 days after infection. Sections were stained with Gomori’s methenamine silver (GMS) or hematoxylin and eosin (HE). Bars: 100 μm.