Methods. After coculture of Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) with the mucosal epithelial cells (MECs) from non-CRS patients, at three different SP/MEC (1/1, 10/1, 100/1) ratios, the expression of IL-8 mRNA and the concentration of IL-8 were measured by RT-PCR and ELISA. The gene discussed is CXCL8; the disease is congenital rubella syndrome.