Administration of a TNF-α blocking MAb (200 μg), which inhibited both soluble and cell surface-associated forms [40], one day prior to infection increased the median survival time of Ifnar−/− (from 3 to 5 days, P = 0.002) and CD11c Cre+Ifnarf/f (from 3 to 8 days, P = 0.0009) mice. This evidence concerns the gene TNF and infection.