During pneumococcal pneumonia, C/EBPδ exaggerates bacterial dissemination and wild-type mice succumb earlier to the disease as compared to C/EBPδ−/− mice whereas in pneumococcal meningitis increased C/EBPδ expression in the brain was associated with increased bacterial growth, dissemination and the inflammatory response. Here, CEBPD is linked to pneumococcal pneumonia.