FIGURE 3.

Summary of most relevant features of studied strains (ST, virulence score, resistance score, K type and O type) and results obtained in the animal infection models. (A) Results of experiments in the G. mellonella model expressed as mortality rate (percentage of dead over the total of inoculated larvae). Means and SD of three replicate experiments are show at different time points for each strain (after 24, 48, and 72 h). (B) Results of virulence experiments, for representative HMV isolates, in the murine model expressed as Log10CFU/g organ of the studied strains, recovered from kidneys and livers. Each dot represents data obtained from one mouse specimen and the solid line represents the mean value. In both the models, the NTUH-K2044 virulent strain and the KKBO-1 low-virulence strain were included and used as reference for classification of studied isolates in three different virulence categories: low (green zone), intermediate (yellow) and high (red). Mortality rate at 72 h (A) and Log10 counts (B) for the three groups were compared. P-values < 0.05 were considered significant; *< 0.05, **<0.005, ****<0.0001.