Yersinia pestis infection chest x ray

A chest x-ray is required in patients suspected to have plague, especially those with pneumonic plague. Findings on chest x-ray may reveal the true burden of pulmonary disease when there are minimal findings on auscultation during physical examination.

Chest x-rays can be variable but may show diffuse interstitial or unilateral lobar infiltrates or consolidation. A chest x-ray is indicated in patients suspected to have the plague, especially pneumonic plague, because findings on auscultation during physical exam are frequently deceiving and may underestimate the true burden of the infection.

Shown below are images of chest X-rays of patients with plague.

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  Chest x-ray of a plague patient revealing bilateral infection, greater on the patient’s left side, which was diagnosed as a case of pneumonic plague, caused by Yersinia pestis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[1]

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