Rotavirus induces alpha-interferon release in children with gastroenteritis.
alpha-Interferon (IFN) blood levels were studied in 38 children hospitalized for rotavirus gastroenteritis. During rotavirus infection, a peak of systemic alpha-IFN was observed within 2 days of onset of symptoms. There was a significant positive correlation between alpha-IFN levels and the number of vomiting episodes (p = 0.0003) but not with duration of vomiting, maximal temperature, and duration of fever. alpha-IFN levels were higher in children with peripheral cyanosis compared with children without peripheral cyanosis (p = 0.005) and tended to be higher in children with diarrhea of < 3 days' duration compared with those with diarrhea lasting > 4 days (p = 0.06). alpha-IFN could be partly responsible for the severity of such initial symptoms as vomiting and peripheral cyanosis in rotavirus gastroenteritis and could play a role in recovery from diarrhea.
De Boissieu
D
D
Département de Pédiatrie, Hôpital Saint Vincent de Paul, Paris, France.
Lebon
P
P
Badoual
J
J
Bompard
Y
Y
Dupont
C
C
D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014839:Vomiting / Q000378:metabolism
D016898:Interferon-alpha