title: Cytokines in the stools of children with complicated shigellosis.
abstract: The pathogenesis of the systemic complications, leukemoid reaction and hemolytic uremic syndrome, associated with Shigella dysenteriae type 1 infection is not well understood. The excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 (IL-6), has been suggested as a possible factor. We measured IL-6 and TNF-alpha in stools of 56 children with S. dysenteriae 1 infection and 29 children without any apparent infection, all age 12 to 60 months. Sixteen children with S. dysenteriae 1 infection had leukemoid reaction or hemolytic uremic syndrome (complicated shigellosis), while the others did not (uncomplicated shigellosis). Stool IL-6 and TNF-alpha concentrations were higher in children with uncomplicated shigellosis than in children with complicated shigellosis (P = 0.009 and < 0.001, respectively) or in uninfected children (P < 0.001). It is concluded that complicated infection is not associated with higher concentrations of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha in stool.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Azim
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Halder
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sarker
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hamadani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qadri
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Salam
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Sack
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Albert
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis*; D007955:Leukemoid Reaction / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D012762:Shigella dysenteriae / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha