We found that proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β (r = 0.259, P = 0.001) and TNFα (r = 0.168, P<0.05) were significantly associated with trachomatous disease and concurrent C. trachomatis infection compared with age and sex matched controls from the same region who did not have trachoma. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is inclusion conjunctivitis.