TNF and scrub typhus: Plasma levels of all IFN-γ-inducing cytokines, including IL-12, IL-18, and TNF-α, were found to be significantly higher in scrub typhus patients than in HCs (medians: 236.4 pg/mL versus 33.1 pg/mL [p < 0.0001]; 2536 pg/mL versus 503 pg/mL [p < 0.0001]; and 63.8 pg/mL versus 8.9 pg/mL [p < 0.005], respectively) (Fig 3C, 3D and 3E).