Interestingly, McKendry et al. recently showed that upon ex vivo infection of resected lung tissue with influenza A virus, there was significantly greater IFN‐γ production by explants from patients with COPD than from healthy controls,49 suggesting that inadequate IFN‐γ production is not the cause of pathological inflammation in viral infections in patients with COPD.49 The gene discussed is IFNG; the disease is viral infectious disease.