Another study reported elevated protein levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in sera of leptospirosis patients and experimentally infected mice45, and elevated protein levels of IL-1, IL-8 and TNF-α were found in canine whole blood after stimulation with Leptospira bacteria42, suggesting live and inactivated Leptospira induce similar responses in different species. The gene discussed is CXCL8; the disease is leptospirosis.