The high levels of serum pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα) found in the serum of piglets exposed to ETEC strain L3.2 is likely to have been associated with inflammatory cell recruitment and infiltration5; also the cytokines may have induced apoptosis in gut epithelial cells18, correlating with the clinical indication of enteritis and a change in intestinal morphology. The gene discussed is IL1A; the disease is enteritis.