On average 5.6 times more IL1B mRNA (p < 0.001), 5.2 times more IL6 mRNA (p < 0.001), 4.3 times more TNF mRNA (p < 0.001) and 48.5 times more IFNG mRNA (p < 0.001) were produced by bMDM pre-treated with NTC siRNA in response to AF2122/97 infection than G18 infection (Fig 3). Here, IL6 is linked to infection.