Obesity Exacerbates the Cytokine Storm Elicited by Francisella tularensis Infection of Females and Is Associated with Increased Mortality

Figure 2

Increased susceptibility of obese animals following F. tularensis infection. Lean and obese mice were infected with 8x10⁵ (a, b) or 5x10⁵ (c, d) cfu F. tularensis LVS ( (a, c) p<0.05 by Mantel-Cox test; (b, d) p<0.02 by multiple t-test). (e) Bacterial load was indistinguishable in target organs between lean and obese animals.