Cytokine serum levels in patients infected by human immunodeficiency virus with and without Trypanosoma cruzi coinfection.
This study assessed the number of CD4 T lymphocytes, the parasitemia and serum levels of interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-4 and IL-10 of patients infected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and human immunodeficiency virus/Chagas' disease coinfection. CD4 T lymphocytes were low in the two groups of patients, although significantly lower in patients without Chagas' disease. Serum levels of IFN-gamma, IL-4 and TNF-alpha were significantly higher in patients with HIV/Chagas' disease. IL-4/IFN-gamma ratios were higher in patients with HIV/Chagas' disease, which showed a clear balance in favor of Th2-like cytokines in this group of patients. This Th2 balance was higher in patients with detectable parasitemia. We conclude that, although immunosuppression was observed, with CD4 T lymphocytes below 200/microm3, these patients did not display reactivation of T. cruzi infection and that a balance favorable to Th2 was associated with the presence of parasitemia.
Rodrigues
Denise Bertulucci Rocha
DB
Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, MG, Brazil. vrodrigues@mednet.com.br
Correia
Dalmo
D
Marra
Mônica Dias
MD
Giraldo
Luis Eduardo Ramirez
LE
Lages-Silva
Eliane
E
Silva-Vergara
Mario León
ML
Barata
Cristina Hueb
CH
Rodrigues Junior
Virmondes
V
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology*
D016207:Cytokines