FIG 1.

Despite having a similar parasite load, 5-ASKH produces more severe pathology in C57BL/6 Rag2^−/− mice than FV9. C57BL/6 Rag2^−/− mice were infected in the ear dermis with 5 × 10⁴ 5-ASKH or FV9 metacyclic promastigotes. (A) Illustration of the experimental design. (B) Photographs of mouse ears taken at different time points during the course of infection. (C) Lesion development as measured weekly using a caliper. (D) Pathology was scored as follows: 0, no lesion; 1, inflamed lesion; 2, ulcered lesion; and 3, eroded ear. (E) Parasite burden as determined by limiting dilution assay (LDA) in the ear lesion at 2, 4, and 8 weeks postinfection shown as log₁₀ (parasite/ear). Results are shown as mean ± SD, and data are representative of 3 independent experiments with 3 to 5 mice/group. *, P < 0.05; **, P ≤ 0.01; ***, P ≤ 0.001; and ****, P ≤ 0.0001 comparing infection groups.