Interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) are potential biomarkers for influenza infection because elevated levels of these pro-inflammatory cytokines in both bronchial epithelial cells and clinical patients' nasopharyngeal lavage fluid correlates with viral loads and scores of typical influenza symptoms7–10. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and influenza.