Meningitis patients had significantly higher levels of plasma C-reactive protein (237 (74–373) vs. 2 (2–2) mg/l, p < 0.001 and interleukin 6 (43 (13–128) vs. 4.6 (4.6–16.6) pg/ml; p < 0.001) than healthy volunteers. The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is infectious meningitis.