Obesity Exacerbates the Cytokine Storm Elicited by Infection of Females and Is Associated with Increased Mortality.

Infection with , the causative agent of the human disease tularemia, results in the overproduction of inflammatory cytokines, termed the cytokine storm. Excess metabolic byproducts of obesity accumulate in obese individuals and activate the same inflammatory signaling pathways as infection. In addition, elevated levels of leptin in obese individuals also increase inflammation.