Aging-induced chronic inflammation in the absence of overt infections is predominantly driven by the NLRP3 inflammasome (Bauernfeind et al., 2016; Camell et al., 2017; Youm et al., 2013), a myeloid cell-expressed multiprotein complex that senses pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) to cause the processing and secretion of IL-1β and IL-18. The gene discussed is IL1B; the disease is infection.