Figure 3.

Representative MR (upper row) and macroscopic (lower row) images (a) of the five experimental groups (naïve controls (n = 5) and sham-operated mice (n = 5) and mice infected with S. aureus isolates 17 (n = 7), 30 (n = 8) or 33 (n = 5) in the IE model) 24 h post the induction of IE. MRI score (b) and clinical score (c) of the three S. aureus endocarditis infections (17, n = 11; 30, n = 14 or 33, n = 8) and the sham-operated group (n = 17) represented as mean ± SD. CFU counts of different organs including the aortic valves (d) for IE infections induced by the bacterial isolates 17 (n = 8), 30 (n = 9) and 33 (n = 6). The results are displayed as box and whiskers plots representing data between the first and third quartiles with the band standing for the second quartile (=median). Whiskers represent lowest and highest data within 1.5 interquartile ranges of the lower and upper quartile. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, Mann–Whitney-U-test