As readouts of cellular activation by N. meningitidis (strain MC58), the oxidative burst response of neutrophil granulocytes (PMN) was assessed using the DHR-123 assay (Fig. 1d) and the inflammatory chemokine IL-8 as well as the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were measured in plasma after whole blood infection (Fig. 1e). This evidence concerns the gene TNF and infection.