Thermographic analysis of the dermal site of parasite expansion.

(A) High resolution thermographic images of 2 representative naive mice and mice at 4, 8 and 11dpi following initiation of a T.b.brucei AnTAR1 infection by an SG+ tsetse fly bite on the left ears (n = 5 for each time point). Right ears were not exposed and served as controls. Images are presented with identical thermal scales. Data are representative of two independent experiments (B) Box plot graph with the measured dorsal temperatures (plotted on left Y-axis) and the temperature differences between exposed and non-exposed ears (plotted on the right Y-axis; n = 5 for each group and time point). (C) Evolution of the density of parasites in the dermis of the ear determined by SL-RNA specific RT-qPCR of the mice used for thermographic imaging (n = 5 for each group and time point). Box plots are with whiskers extending from minimum to maximum. *: P < 0.05, **: P < 0.01; ***: P < 0.001