Attenuation of S. equi Virulence by vicK Deletion 
Group of 8 mice were subcutaneously inoculated with 1.1 x 108 cfu wild-type or DeltavicK mutant strains.
Seven of the 8 mice infected with the wild-type S. equi strain died, whereas 7 of the 8 mice inoculated with DeltavicK survived (Fig. 4A).
The infection was performed in a model of intranasal infection as well.
All the 8 mice infected with DeltavicK survived, whereas 5 of the 8 mice infected with the wild-type S. equi strain died (Fig. 4B).
These results indicate that the vicK deletion significantly attenuated S. equi virulence in both mouse models of subcutaneous (P = 0.0066) and nasal (P = 0.0085) infections.
