Fig. 3

Borrelia burgdorferi migration in ticks and transmission to the murine host is not altered in germ-free isolator-raised nymphs. B. burgdorferi-infected nymphal ticks were raised in a normal incubator and fed on pathogen-free C57/BL6 mice (N) or raised in germ-free isolators and fed on germ-free C57/BL6 mice (GF) or raised in germ-free isolators and fed on pathogen-free C57/BL6 mice (GF-N) and the following parameters were assessed: A Engorgement weights; qPCR assessment of BB. burgdorferi burden in midguts (gut) and salivary glands (sg); CB. burgdorferi burden in the murine skin at days 5, 10, 14, and 21 post-tick detachment; and DB. burgdorferi burden in the murine hearts and joints 21 days post-tick detachment. Error bars are + SEM. The significance of differences was assessed by ANOVA with Dunn’s multiple comparison test. Each data point in A is a single tick, in B is a pool of 2–3 tick midguts or salivary glands, and in C and D a single mouse