title: Cytokine serum levels in patients infected by human immunodeficiency virus with and without Trypanosoma cruzi coinfection.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, MG, Brazil. vrodrigues@mednet.com.br
authors.forename: Denise Bertulucci Rocha
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Dalmo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.forename: Mônica Dias
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.forename: Luis Eduardo Ramirez
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Giraldo
authors.forename: Eliane
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lages-Silva
authors.forename: Mario León
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Silva-Vergara
authors.forename: Cristina Hueb
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Barata
authors.forename: Virmondes
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rodrigues Junior
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines