Although we could observe a correlation between S100A8/A9 and IL-8 levels in the serum and saliva as well, neither IL-8 nor any other cytokine or chemokine we determined in the serum and saliva provides the potential to differentiate between acute tonsillitis, peritonsillitis, and peritonsillar abscess. The gene discussed is S100A8; the disease is peritonsillar abscess.