When comparing circulating cytokine levels and their correlation to the TLR4 and TIRAP/Mal genotype, individuals with combined mutations in TLR4 and TIRAP/Mal had very low circulating cytokine levels of IL-6 (WT-patients vs. TIRAP/Mal +TLR4, P = 0.01 for IL-6) and IL-8, while all other individuals, including those with single mutations in either TLR4 or TIRAP/Mal had elevated cytokine levels at day 1 after diagnosis of pneumonia. This evidence concerns the gene TLR4 and pneumonia.