Immune activation in human rabies.
Serum cytokines were compared by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay among (i) 28 patients with rabies, (ii) 13 patients with non-fatal encephalitis due to other viruses, (iii) 16 patients with immune-mediated neurological diseases, and (iv) 15 patients with non-viral central nervous system infections and non-HTLV-I progressive spastic paraparesis. Levels of soluble interleukin 2 receptor (S-IL2R) were comparable in groups (i)-(iii). Fewer paralytic (1/6) than encephalitic (12/22) rabies patients had elevated S-IL2R. Only one patient with rabies and one with non-fatal viral encephalitis (group ii) had elevated S-CD8. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) was elevated in 5/22 rabies patients with encephalitis and in 0/6 paralytic rabies patients. Four individuals in groups (ii) and (iii) had elevated IL-6. Patterns of cytokine responses in group (iv) were similar to those in groups (i)-(iii). The results suggest defects in immune responsiveness in paralytic rabies.
Hemachudha
T
T
World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research on Rabies Pathogenesis and Prevention, Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, Bangkok, Thailand.
Panpanich
T
T
Phanuphak
P
P
Manatsathit
S
S
Wilde
H
H
D000917:Antibody Formation; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D011818:Rabies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6
D016827:CD8 Antigens; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6