During HSV-2 infection of C57BL/6 mice, the numbers of monocytes defined as CD11b+/Ly6G−/CD11c- (Fig. 4B) were significantly increased at 3 and 7 day of infection (p≤0.05) (Fig. 4E), albeit the total counts of monocytes at 7 day of infection were lower than at day 3 (Fig. 4E). This evidence concerns the gene ITGAX and infection.