Several studies suggest TRIF is a key player in the immune response to bacterial pathogens, including spirochetes
however, the role of TRIF in the host defense against L. interrogans specifically has not yet been elucidated. In this study, the pathogenesis of L. interrogans was investigated in wildtype (WT) and Trif−/− mice by measurement of specific markers of host defense including, symptoms after infection, cytokine production, innate and adaptive immune responses and bacterial burden.