Figure 2.

The timeline of treatment and periodical measurement on experimental horses undergoing inoculation with env diversity-varied EIAV strains in vivo. The three env diversity-varied EIAV strains are represented by the three brown colour gradients. Fifteen experimental horses were randomly divided into three groups and were inoculated with three env diversity-varied EIAV strains respectively. Another three horses (light-grey colour) were chosen as sham control. Within each inoculated group, inoculation (day 0), challenge (24 weeks) and immunosuppression (28 weeks) are dotted along the upper line. Administration of dexamethasone for 14 days could inhibit the host immunity continuously to reach an immunosuppressed status. Peripheral blood was sampled approximately every two weeks in survivors.