In order to determine the biological relevance of direct chemokine-mediated antimicrobial activity during pulmonary B. anthracis infection, we used a murine model of inhalational anthrax in which endogenous CXCL9, CXCL10, and/or CXCL11, or their shared cellular receptor CXCR3 were selectively neutralized. This evidence concerns the gene CXCL11 and anthrax infection.