Peering inside the skull of a mouse to solve meningit...(the immune cells appeared to overrun the...)

This observation provided the first clue that T-cells could not be causing fluid to leak from the blood vessels into the meninges. If T-cells weren't the culprit, what was? Another series of experiments revealed that the real villains were monocytes and neutrophils, two types of white blood cells that usually fight bacteria, not viruses. Intravital microscopy showed massive numbers of these white blood cells breaking through the walls of blood vessels into the meninges, opening the floodgates for fluid to pour out and cause swelling.

Unable to kill the virally infected cells, the T-cells appeared to be summoning monocytes and neutrophils to the site of infection, like a sergeant calling out the cavalry. In this case, however, it was the wrong call. Although many questions remain, "we've discovered a totally new targetthe neutrophils and monocytes recruited by the T-cells," Dr. Dustin says. "If you can prevent that recruitment process, either by inhibiting the T-cells or, preferably, inhibiting the monocytes and neutrophils, you can probably prevent the disease."

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