FIGURE 6.

Rev1Δwzm protects against virulent B. melitensis and B. ovis challenges in the BALB/c mice. Efficacy in the BALB/c mice (n = 5) IP or SC vaccinated with Rev1 wzm/wzt mutants (10⁸ CFU/animal) or with Rev1 reference vaccine (10⁵ CFU/animal, SC) or PBS as controls; after 4 weeks, the mice were IP challenged with (A) 1 × 10⁴ of B. melitensis H38:Gm^r (H38) or (B) 5 × 10⁵ of B. ovis PA:Gm^r (BoPA:Gm^r). After 2 or 3 weeks, respectively, the mean ± SD (n = 5) log₁₀ CFU of the challenge strain in spleens was determined. Detection limit (log₁₀ 5 CFU/spleen = 0.70) is indicated with a discontinuous line. Fisher’s LSD test; ^***p ≤ 0.001, ^**p ≤ 0.01 vs. Rev1 control.