Fig. 3

Active immunization protects against B. microti infection in BALB/c mice induced by the Bm8 polypeptide. a Detection of the copy number of the B. microti gene in BALB/c mice on days 3, 6, 9 and 12 post-infection by qRT-PCR. Asterisks indicate significant difference at **P < 0.01 vs the adjuvant group (t-test). b Parasitemia comparison in BALB/c mice infected with B. microti on days 3, 6, 9 and 12 post-infection detected by microscopy. Asterisk indicates a significant difference at *P < 0.05 vs the adjuvant group (t-test). c Severity of babesiosis in mice receiving active immunization with Bm8 polypeptide versus the control group, on days 3, 6, 9 and 12 post-infection: i–iii changes in Hb level (i), body weight (ii) and body temperature (iii). Bm8, B. microti protein 8; Hb, hemoglobin; mRNA, messenger RNA; qRT-PCR, real-time quantitative PCR