CASP8 and infection: Contrary to our hypothesis, Casp8/Ripk3/Casp1/11−/− mice infected with B. thailandensisvgrG5ΔCTD survived challenge, suggesting that bacterial-mediated cell-cell fusion is necessary for full virulence and that loss of cell-cell fusion may result in a self-limiting infection, even in the absence of PANoptosis (Fig. 4A).