At the higher inoculum, WT and tlr4 mutant mice exhibited significantly increased levels of IL-1α, IFN-γ, TNF-α, MCP-1, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17A early during infection relative to the lower inoculum while levels dissipated by 7 dpi, consistent with bacterial clearance (see Fig. 1A). Here, IL6 is linked to infection.