We show that children with noncritical infections have higher intestinal permeability, increased endotoxemia and changes indicative of immunoparalysis, with reduced monocyte HLA-DR expression, increased CD64 expression and reduced IL-1β and TNF-α production upon challenge of innate immune cells with the beta-glucan, zymosan. This evidence concerns the gene IL1B and serum lipopolysaccharide activity.