The study further examined different key immune genes such as the transcript level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGFβ1) during the early phase of infection. Here, TNF is linked to infection.