Fig. 2: Probiotic promotes pathogen survival in human saliva ex vivo and in mouse models of infection.
a, GAS was grown in the absence (GAS) or presence of increasing doses of SAL in sterile human saliva ex vivo. Samples were collected at the indicated timepoints and GAS levels were assessed by enumerating CFUs per millilitre of saliva. b, C57Bl/6 mice were inoculated intranasally with 108 CFUs of GAS and/or SAL. Samples were collected at 24 h post-infection, and CFUs were enumerated. Data are pooled from two independent experiments and are presented as the median (n = 10). P values in a and b were calculated by multiple comparison Kruskal–Wallis test. c, CD1 mice (n = 5 per group) were injected with indicated doses of SAL intravaginally, and 24 h later, mice were inoculated intravaginally with 103 CFUs of GAS. Samples were collected at the indicated timepoints, and GAS levels were assessed by enumerating CFUs per millilitre of swab eluate. GAS alone (GAS)-infected group was used as a control. A multiple comparison Kruskal–Wallis test was performed to determine statistically significant differences compared with GAS-infected reference group. No statistically significant differences in GAS CFUs between individual groups and reference group were observed. ND, not detected.
