Cytokine expression is increased in the severe (s) cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) with therapeutic (t) interferon (IFN)-β group compared with the sCLP controls. Cytokine concentrations in peritoneal lavage fluid (A) and serum (B) collected at 24 h after CLP in mice with sCLP control (white boxes), sCLP with tIFNβ (closed boxes), or sCLP with prophylactic (p) IFNβ (gray boxes). Data are expressed as a box plot; middle line indicates median, upper/lower box lines indicate 75/25 percentiles, and upper/lower error bars indicate 90/10 percentiles, respectively. Top and bottom dots indicate maximum and minimum values, respectively. Numbers (n) of mice included for each group are indicated in parentheses.