10.1371/journal.pntd.0005276.g001 B. Joseph Hinnebusch B. Joseph Hinnebusch David M. Bland David M. Bland Christopher F. Bosio Christopher F. Bosio Clayton O. Jarrett Clayton O. Jarrett Comparative blockage and infection rates of <i>O</i>. <i>montana</i> and <i>X</i>. <i>cheopis</i> during a four-week period after a single infectious blood meal. Public Library of Science 2017 Oropsylla montana proventricular blockage Different Mechanisms Background Transmission flea blood meal proventricular biofilm-dependent mechanism Yersinia pestis forms Xenopsylla cheopis Fleas Transmit Yersinia pestis 2017-01-12 17:37:56 Figure https://plos.figshare.com/articles/figure/Comparative_blockage_and_infection_rates_of_i_O_i_i_montana_i_and_i_X_i_i_cheopis_i_during_a_four-week_period_after_a_single_infectious_blood_meal_/4548844 <p>(<b>A</b>) Percentage of fleas that developed complete proventricular blockage. The mean and SD are indicated. (<b>B</b>) Mortality rate of uninfected (open symbols) and infected (closed symbols) <i>O</i>. <i>montana</i> (red symbols) and <i>X</i>. <i>cheopis</i> (blue symbols). (<b>C</b>) Percentage of <i>O</i>. <i>montana</i> (red symbols) and <i>X</i>. <i>cheopis</i> (blue symbols) still infected 7 and 28 days after an infectious blood meal. (<b>D</b>) Mean bacterial load in infected <i>O</i>. <i>montana</i> (blue symbols) and <i>X</i>. <i>cheopis</i> (red symbols) immediately after the infectious blood meal (day 0) and at 7 and 28 days after infection. The cumulative results of three independent experiments (n = 99 to 113 fleas each) are shown in (<b>A, B</b>); the results of each of the three experiments are plotted in (<b>C, D</b>). *<i>P</i> = 0.0003; **<i>P</i> < 0.0001 by Fisher’s exact test (two-tailed).</p>