In an early study, serum hepcidin was increased in a cohort of septic patients, 20% of whom had bacteremia as attested by a positive blood culture [7], and more recently, serum hepcidin was reported as elevated in 27 patients with bacteremia, compared to the non-bacterial infection group of patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome [8], and in 15 patients with septic shock [9]. Here, HAMP is linked to bacterial infectious disease.