Elevated inflammatory mediators have been reported to be associated with the severity of viral infections, such as IL-1β, IL-6, MCP-1, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, IL-2, IL-10, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IFN-α, IP-10, RANTES, IL-8 and IL-1RA in Ebola haemorrhagic fever11,20–22, IL-RA, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1α, IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-8, IP-10 and MCP-1 in Dengue disease23,24, IL-6 and TNF-α in Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever25. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is viral infectious disease.