The CRP remained elevated and interleukin-6 (IL-6) was 60.1 ng/mL (normal < 7 ng/mL); procalcitonin 0.19 μg/mL (normal < 0.5 μg/ml); while the elevated neutrophil count, lymphocytopenia and thrombocytopenia persisted (Fig. 1D, E; Additional file 1: Figure S1C–E). This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and lymphopenia.