RNA was extracted using RNase Easy kit (Qiagen, Netherland) from infected cells. For patients blood samples (see Patient Samples), 2.5 ml of blood was collected in PAXgene tubes, RNA was extracted using PAXgene Blood RNA Kit (PreAnalytiX, Qiagne, Netherland). RNA was subjected to DNase treatment using an RNase-Free DNase Set (Qiagen, Netherland). 100 ng of total RNA was reverse transcribed using the High-Capacity cDNA Archive Kit (ABI, USA) and processed for TaqMan Micro Fluidic Cards (3M Company, ABI, USA) according to manufacturers instructions, together with data analysis using SDS2.2 software (ABI, USA). Differentially expressed genes were detected as above, using SAM. We analyzed SAM gene lists using the Applied Biosystem online program PANTHER [21] (http://www. pantherdb.org/). Pathway, interaction and Gene Onotology analysis was performed using MetaCore, version 3.2.0 (GeneGo, Inc, USA).