Anti-cytokine autoantibodies were detected at significantly higher frequencies in patients with pneumococcal meningitis than in uninfected controls, particularly against IFN-γ (11% vs. 1%) and IFN-ω (11% vs. 0%), IL-1α (5% vs. 0%), IL-6 (12% vs. 1%), and IL-17A (9% vs. 1%) and IL-17F (10% vs. 0%), suggesting a role in disease susceptibility. This evidence concerns the gene IL1A and pneumococcal meningitis.