To exclude the possibility that the IL-4 post-stimulation-dependent reductions in S.tm CFU were dependent on the ratio of bacteria to macrophages, we investigated these observations at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) to 0.1, 1 and 5 and analysed S.tm CFU after 0.5 h, 4 h and 24 h of infection. This evidence concerns the gene IL4 and infection.