One patient with VZV encephalitis had approximately fivefold higher MIF levels in CSF than in blood (5,042 ng/l versus 1,031 ng/ml), and one patient with pneumococcal meningitis with accompanying bacteraemia had lower MIF levels in CSF than in blood (8,615 ng/l versus 10,913 ng/l). Here, MIF is linked to pneumococcal meningitis.