In contrast to PMN activation, supernatants from HBE cells infected with MDR-Kpneu and treated with meropenem did not enhance CD11b expression on CD14+ monocytes as compared to supernatants harvested after MDR-Kpneu infection alone, but activation of these cells was enhanced by HBE supernatants obtained after flagellin treatment. The gene discussed is ITGAM; the disease is infection.