The fact that EHDV-TAU infection is blocked in non-tumorigenic cells (15), yet, efficiently kills either tumor cells defective in JAK1 signaling (killing that is accompanied by productive infection) or JAK1-positive tumor cells stimulated with cytokines such as IL-6 (killing that is accompanied by non-productive infection), suggests that EHDV-TAU may serve as an efficient oncolytic agent for specific human malignancies. The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is infection.