When comparing stimulated cytokine concentrations of ill dogs to healthy controls, dogs with coccidioidomycosis produced higher stimulated concentrations of TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-10, MCP-1, and lower IL-8 compared to controls, indicating there is a cytokine signature associated with the Coccidioides spp. This evidence concerns the gene CXCL8 and coccidioidomycosis.