Fig 2. Duration of tick feeding experiment of R. sanguineus larvae into nymphs.

Larvae were fed for 5 days and were allowed to complete their molting period, which ranged from 15–45 days. After they become nymphs, they were starved around one month and then fed for 4 days. B. henselae were detected by PCR assay from larval samples (at the end of larval feeding), nymphal samples (after molting completed) and blood samples (daily collected during the nymphal feeding). After 4 days of nymphal feeding, blood from each feeder was collected for Bartonella isolation.