Characteristics of cytokine storms caused by highly pathogenic virus infections including SARS-CoV-2

Highly pathogenic virus infections usually trigger cytokine storms, which may have adverse effects on vital organs and result in high mortalities.
Sichuan Agricultural University, China has investigated characteristics of cytokine storms caused by the following viruses: three coronaviruses (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2), three influenza viruses (2009H1N1, H5N1 and H7N9), Ebola virus, HIV, dengue virus, Zika virus, West Nile virus, HBV, HCV, and enterovirus, and has found three characteristics in the cytokine storms.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.659419/full

IP-10, L-6, IL-8, and IL-17 Are the Most Increased Cytokines

Variations of IFN-γ and IL-4 Determine the Maximum Amplitude of All Cytokines
The two cytokines IL-4 and IFN-γ play major roles in the generation and regulation of immune responses. Central in this respect are their mutually antagonistic functions. IFN-γ plays a key role in the inhibition of Th2-cell differentiation and Th1-cell stabilization; IL-4 promotes Th2-cell differentiation and stability and inhibits Th1-cell differentiation. The amplification factor should be the ratio of IFN-γ FC/IL-4 FC (if IFN-γ FC/IL-4 FC < 1, the amplification factor should be the ratio of IL-4 FC/IFN-γ FC). Correlation between [IFN-γ FC × (IFN-γ FC/IL-4 FC) (if IFN-γ FC/IL-4 FC > 1)] or [IFN-γ FC × (IL-4 FC/IFN-γ FC) (if IFN-γ FC/IL-4 FC < 1)] and the max FC was calculated and a very high correlation coefficient R2 = 0.988 was obtained.

viral load is weakly positive-correlated with IFN-γ FC, and virus clearance rate is negatively correlated with IFN-γ FC