Neutrophils are critical mediators of pneumococcal pneumonia and their rapid influx from the bloodstream into the pulmonary space is required for clearance of Spn. Once recruited to the lungs, neutrophils produce proinflammatory cytokines, perform phagocytosis, NETosis or degranulation and can cause considerable damage to host tissue if infection is not resolved in a reasonable time. Here, SPN is linked to infection.