Notably, in the absence of infection, pregnant uninfected mice overexpressed lung neutrophil-recruiting chemokines (KC, 1.37 times higher) and cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and G-CSF; 1.64-, 7.6- and 3-times higher respectively) relative to non-pregnant controls (Fig 4D, S2 Table) [43]. Here, IL6 is linked to infection.