Traditionally, disease is thought to result from an insufficient response of the host to infection, leading to increased replication of microorganisms and consequently disease. However, infection may not necessarily lead to disease and disease is not only the result of uncontrolled replication of a microorganism. Indeed, the inflammatory response triggered by certain infections is frequently the cause of tissue damage and death. The present review argues that it is possible to separate mechanisms necessary for the host response to deal with infection from those which cause unwanted inflammation and drive disease. By understanding mechanisms which drive disease and where/how interaction leads to disease, we may be able to devise novel therapies to alleviate suffering of patients. Below, we will describe three situations--influenza, dengue and sepsis--in which unwanted (excessive, misplaced or altered) inflammation is responsible for disease induction. In these three situations, we will also describe some examples of molecules which have been found to drive disease but appear not to be essential for the ability of the host to control infection.