Decrease in IL-8 and TGF- β may be consistent with T lymphocytes depletion in severe patients. While decrease of T lymphocyte is associated with severity of SARS. Levels of TNF- α and IL-1 did not differ between SARS and control, this was inconsistent with results in influenza infection and suggested the need for cytokine detection in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Here, IL1B is linked to severe acute respiratory syndrome.