In spleen, a loss of dendritic cells was observed after NTHi infection; CD11b+ dendritic cells (DC_CD8type) decreased from 3.1 to 1.4% of total live cells at day 5 postinoculation with NTHi, whereas CD11b+ dendritic cells decreased from 2.5% to 0.5 to 0.6% at days 1 and 2 of infection. Here, ITGAM is linked to infection.