When a panel of cytokines (including GM-CSF, IFNγ, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-1ra, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-18, and TNF-α) was measured in saliva from healthy pigs and in pigs with meningitis and S. suis infection, upregulation of several cytokines was observed in the diseased animals. The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is infectious meningitis.