A. fumigatus ΔhacA is avirulent in the cornea of both male and female C57BL/6J mice.

(A) Representative slit-lamp images of infected murine corneas at 24, 48 and 72 h p.i. (B) 72 h clinical disease scores of pooled male and female animals; data analyzed by Ordinary one-way ANOVA **** <0.0001. (C) 72 h corneal thickness measurements based on OCT and measuring 13 points across cornea; (n = 10/group, analyzed by Ordinary one-way ANOVA p-value **** <0.0001. (D) Fungal burden at 72 h p.i. as determined by colony forming unit (CFU) analysis from corneal homogenates; data analyzed by Ordinary one-way ANOVA p-value **** <0.0001; ** 0.0012. (E) Representative PASH stained corneal corneal sections at 72 h p.i. (F) The same 72 h clinical disease scores in panel B with male and female animals separated. (G) The same 72 h corneal thickness measurements in panel C, with male and female animals separated.

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