Fig 7. Low volume intranasal challenge causes variable infection but high frequency sepsis and liver damage.

Groups of 5 wild type C57Bl/6 mice were challenged by intranasal infection of Y. pestis KIM5-pCD1^Ap in 10μL volume. On day 5 post-infection, mice were euthanized, blood and tissues collected and processed for (A) bacterial titer; (B) serum cytokines by a multiplex cytokine assay; (C-D) serum liver function enzyme panel. Data shown were collected in 2–4 independent trials, n = 20 (A-B) or n = 10 (C-D); bars in (A) indicate median, in (B-D), bars indicate standard error. Pooled data (C-D) were analyzed by Kruskal Wallis, *P<0.05.