Our previous study found that infection with meningitic E. coli can significantly increase the expression of chemokines and cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, CXCL3, CXCL2, and C-C motif chemokine ligand (CCL) 2, and some chemokines remain at high levels in the blood and brain for a long time [17,19]. Here, TNF is linked to infection.