Figure 3

Comparative virulence of strain Newman and its isogenic sbnE deletion mutant. (A) Compared to rats infected with strain Newman, rats infected with the sbnE mutant (defective in the synthesis of the siderophore staphyloferrin B lived significantly longer than rats infected with the parental strain, (B) had significantly lower levels of bacteremia on day 2, and (C) lost significantly less weight 48 h after bacterial inoculation. (D) Bacterial burdens in the kidneys and (E) vegetations were not significantly different between wild-type and mutant strain.