Fourteen cytokines or chemokines were analysed on 88 RT-PCR-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome [18] patients.IFN-gamma, IL-18, TGF-beta, IL-6, IP-10, MCP-1, MIG, and IL-8, but not of TNF-alpha, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-13, or TNFRI, were highly elevated in the acute phase sera of Taiwan SARS patients.IL-18, IP-10, MIG, and MCP-1 were significantly higher in the death group than in the survival groupAn interferon-gamma-related cytokine storm was induced post SARS coronavirus infection, and this cytokine storm might be involved in the immunopathological damage in SARS patients. The gene discussed is IL18; the disease is severe acute respiratory syndrome.