In cases of severe influenza disease, as with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), hypercytokinemia promotes excessive recruitment of neutrophils and inflammatory monocytes through overproduction of IFNs, IL-6, IL-1β, CCL2, CCL3, TNF, and IP-10 (10, 12, 13, 18). This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and influenza.