Blocking of cholinergic signaling by depletion of various nAChRs subunits does not enhance antibacterial immune response suggesting that cholinergic pathways, at least not mediated by α2 nAChR, α5 nAChR, α7 nAChR, α9/10 nAChR subunits, does not play a role in impaired immunity against S. pneumonia after stroke. This evidence concerns the gene CHRNA4 and susceptibility to pneumonia measurement.