STAT3 and infection: However, by 24 h post-infection, significant differences emerged in the relative expression of several pro-inflammatory genes, including signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), interleukin-6 (IL6), and complement component 3 (C3), with ZIKV-IBH showing higher expression levels compared with ZIKV-PRV (Figure 3C).