Therefore, considering the functionality of these SNPs and the function of their produced proteins, the association of the T allele in CXCL8 rs4073 and the T allele in TLR7 rs179008 with the severity of microcephaly suggests that the impairing antiviral defense might attenuate a resolutive inflammatory response and contribute to CNS damage. Here, CXCL8 is linked to microcephaly.