FIGURE 4.

Enumeration and viability of intracellular and extracellular M. leprae Thai-53 strain in tick cell culture. ISE6 cells were infected with M. leprae at approximately a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 15. Infected cells and supernatant were collected separately at 49 dpi. (A) Enumeration was accessed by qPCR of RLEP. (B) Mycobacterium leprae viability was determined by detecting esxA. Statistically significant differences (Mann-Whitney test; p < 0.05) were indicated by ^∗ or # when comparing with initial suspension or between groups, respectively.