Brain and spinal cords from mock and RSA59 infected 4–5-week-old MHV-free C57BL/6 mice (WT) and NOS2-/- mice were harvested at different disease phases post infection (p.i.)(day 5/6-acute, day 9/10-acute-adaptive and day 30-chronic phase) and compared for pathological outcomes. Here, NOS2 is linked to infection.