Resistant C57BL/6 mice managed to clear the virus and displayed low to undetectable titers of MCMV, while IFN-γ-KO mice, who develop the most complete spectrum of HLH, presented with the highest viral titers, consistent with the hypothesis that the severity of the HLH-like syndrome in the mutant mice was directly linked to increased lytic viral replication. Here, IFNG is linked to hemophagocytic syndrome.