We found that AMs were a major source of IL-6 in HETs at 6 d.p.i. Infection also induced TGF-β secretion by HET but not WT mice at 2 d.p.i. Importantly, treatment with a single dose of a TGF-β-neutralizing antibody at 2 d.p.i. significantly reduced BALF IL-6 in HETs at 6 d.p.i. This indicated that IL-6 production by HET AMs at this time point was TGF-β dependent. Here, TGFB1 is linked to infection.