In addition to the endothelial cell barrier dysfunction, the process of infection also involves elevations in pro-inflammatory cytokines to such a degree it has been referred to as a “cytokine storm” with IL-6 serving as the upstream inducer of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) [36]. Here, STAT3 is linked to infection.