A prospective cohort study by Wong et al [28] found that patients with SARS exhibited a significant increase in the antiviral cytokine IFN-γ and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-12) during a cytokine storm, with a moderate increase in anti-inflammatory IL-10 in only some patients. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and severe acute respiratory syndrome.