TNF and bacterial infectious disease: Since TNF‐induced crypt damage was reported to cause evasion of (aerobic) microbes from the ileal lumen to peripheral organs (Van Hauwermeiren et al, 2015), causing there a bacterial infection that contributes to the lethal effect of TNF, we studied if zinc protection was associated with reductions in bacterial contamination of spleens and mesenteric lymph nodes, 18 h after TNF injection.