As previously reported [25–28,49], the plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-6, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), IL-10, interferon gamma (IFN-γ), IL-15, IL-18, and granzyme A (GrzA) were all significantly higher in acute HFRS as compared to the convalescent phases (Fig 2B). The gene discussed is IL18; the disease is hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.