In murine models of infection with influenza, vaccinia virus (VACV), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV), IL-6 is essential to mount a protective immune response (Kopf and others 1994; Kuo and others 2009; Harker and others 2011; Lauder and others 2013; Bouezzedine and others 2015; Yang and others 2017). The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is influenza.