We found that infection with live GC-FA19 induced significantly more TNFα and IL-1β release from MM6 (Figure 3A) and THP-1 cells (Figure 3B) when compared to a heat-killed (H-K) preparation of GC-FA19, indicating that monocytes recognized the presence of both live and dead GC-FA19 infection, but responded more robustly to infection by live GC-FA19, possibly due to the growth or biologic activities of viable gonococci. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is infection.