Figure 7.

Training for 9 weeks prevents L. monocytogenes burden and dissemination. Control mice and mice trained 1 week or 9 weeks before infection were challenged i.v. with 1.5-2 x 10⁴ CFU L. monocytogenes. (A) Blood was collected 2 days p.i. to quantify bacteria. Each dot represents a mouse (n = 9, 8 and 8, for mice trained for 0, 1, or 9 weeks, respectively). The plain and dotted horizontal lines represent median and limit of detection, respectively. (B) Blood and spleen were collected 1-3 days p.i. to quantify bacteria. Each dot represents a mouse (n = 4-13). The plain and dotted horizontal lines represent median and limit of detection, respectively. (C, D) Livers (n = 3 control mice and 3 mice trained 9 weeks) were collected 2 days p.i. and liver sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin. (C) Representative images of liver sections imaged at 2x and 10x magnification using an EVOS M7000 microscope. Scale bar represents 750 µm or 150 µm for 2x and 10x magnification images, respectively. Arrows point to foci and the doted square to the area zoomed 10x. (D) Number of foci per liver section and size of foci. *P < 0.05; ***P < 0.001; ****P < 0.0001 vs. control.