Patients with pneumococcal meningitis show high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-6 and IL-12, anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β) and chemokines such as CXCL8 (IL-8) CCL3 (MIP-1a) and CCL2 (MCP-1) in their CSF [19]. The gene discussed is CXCL8; the disease is pneumococcal meningitis.