In response to ocular HSV-1 infection, pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1, IL-6 and chemokines including CCL2, CCL3, CCL5, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL9, and CXCL10 are produced rapidly following infection by resident cells and infiltrating leukocytes (23, 25, 75, 76). Here, IL6 is linked to infection.