Second, adult rabbits treated with the pro-inflammatory cytokine cardiotrophin-1, a member of the IL-6 cytokine family, prior to infection with GI.1 had lower case fatality rates, improved biochemical parameters of liver function, and less severe hepatic necrosis based on histopathology, although virus loads in the liver reached similar titres to untreated rabbits [92]. The gene discussed is CTF1; the disease is infection.