IL18 and cryptococcosis: In murine models of cryptococcal infections, administering IL-12 and IL-18 have been shown to significantly reduce the fungal cell burden in many organs and enhance elimination of Cryptococcus spp.. These murine models have also shown an increase in IFN-γ after administering IL-12 or IL-18, with anti IFN-γ antibodies eliminating the protective effect of the interleukins (Kawakami et al. 1996b, 1997).