During severe COVID-19, the release of damage-associated molecular patterns may aberrantly stimulate toll-like receptors thatexacerbate the inflammatory responses and favor COVID-19-associated IPA (CAPA)( 5, 6).Increased production of IL-6 by epithelial cells is also found following infection with A. fumigatus; therefore,the IL-6 driven cytokine storm during the co-infection may lead to the apoptosis of epithelial cells, and subsequently severeARDS or even death ( 6). The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is infection.