Results of an accompanying in vitro study using RAW264.7 cells, prompted speculation that the exacerbation of pneumonia by ASD plus KP was due to the enhanced production of pro-inflammatory mediators via activation of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and NALP3 (NACHT domain, leucine-rich repeat, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3) inflammasome pathways in alveolar macrophages. Here, TLR2 is linked to susceptibility to pneumonia measurement.