Parasite acquisition by tsetse flies from the infected dermal site.

(A) Experimental setup indicating the initial infection of mice by exposure of the mouse dorsum to T.b.brucei AnTAR1 SG+ tsetse fly bites, followed 18 hpi by feeding of teneral tsetse flies on the venter or dorsum. (B) Parasites acquired during the blood feeding process were quantified by SL-RNA specific RT-qPCR on individual tsetse fly abdominal extracts (n = 5–10 fully engorged flies fed on an individual side and mouse). Data for the individual mice (M1-6) from two independent experiments with number of parasites acquired from dorsal and ventral sides. (C) Combined data of parasite numbers acquired by individual flies from the ventral (n = 50) and dorsal sides (n = 60). **: P < 0.01; ***: P < 0.001; ****: P < 0.0001