IL6 and malaria: CXCL1 (chemokine ligand 1) and CXCL8/interleukin 8 (IL-8) are canonical neutrophil chemotaxis factors associated with lung injury, and interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a master regulator of the acute phase response, associated with the acute respiratory distress syndrome and increased mortality in severe malaria (27, 28).