Plasma cytokines tended to be higher in resilient strains than in nonresilient strains, with two exceptions: cytokines in resilient WSB/EiJ mice remained low throughout infection (Fig. 2A), and two nonresilient strains (PWK/PhJ and NOD/ShiLtJ) mounted hyperinflammatory responses (e.g., high gamma interferon [IFN-γ], tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], and interleukin 6 [IL-6] and low IL-10 and transforming growth factor β [TGF-β]) on day 8 or 9. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and infection.