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Figure 1 | BMC Microbiology

Figure 1

From: Acanthamoeba produces disseminated infection in locusts and traverses the locust blood-brain barrier to invade the central nervous system

Figure 1

Acanthamoeba isolates belonging to the T1 and T4 genotypes induce sickness behaviour leading to locust death. (i) Groups of 8 or 10 locusts (total n = 38 locusts/isolate) were injected with different isolates of Acanthamoeba (106 amoebae) and their mortality recorded every 24 h post injection. Mortality was 100% in all groups of amoebae-injected locusts within 11 days of infection, with the highest rate of death occurring between days 7-9. By contrast, locusts injected with culture medium alone, showed less than 15% mortality by day 11 post-injection. Results are representative of four independent experiments. (ii & iii) Groups of 6 or 7 locusts (total n = 20 locusts/isolate) were injected with different isolates of Acanthamoeba (106 amoebae) and their fresh weights recorded every 24 h post injection. Faecal pellets were also collected daily post-injection, air-dried and weighed. Both tested isolates of Acanthamoeba induced significant loss of body weight on day 8 (P < 0.05 using t-test; two sample unequal variance; one tail distribution) (ii), as well as, faeces production (P < 0.05 using t-test; two sample unequal variance; one tail distribution) (iii). Day 0 represents the injection day and error bars indicate S.E.M. of three independent experiments.

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