[Variation and significance of serum and stool IL-18 and IFN-gamma levels in children with rotavirus enteritis].
OBJECTIVE
To study the variation and significance of serum and stool IL-18 and IFN-gamma levels in children with rotavirus enteritis.


METHODS
Serum and stool specimens from 50 children with acute rotavirus enteritis were collected before treatment. Serum and stool levels of IL-18 and IFN-gamma were measured using ELISA. Serum and stool specimens from 21 age and gender-matched healthy children were used as the Control group.


RESULTS
Serum and stool levels of IL-18 and IFN-gamma in patients with rotavirus enteritis were significantly higher than those in the Control group. There was a negative correlation between the serum IFN-gamma level and the frequency of vomiting (r=-0.368, P < 0.05). The stool IL-18 level negatively correlated to the frequency of diarrhea (r=-0.414, P < 0.05). A positive correlation was found between the serum levels of IL-18 and IFN-gamma (r=0.416, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Serum and stool levels of IL-18 and IFN-gamma were increased and associated with the severity in children with rotavirus enteritis. IL-18 and IFN-gamma might have protective effects against acute rotavirus infection at the early stage.
Gao
You-Gui
YG
Department of Pediatrics, Xigu Hospital of Lanzhou, Lanzhou 730060, China. gyggxw99@163.com
Jin
Yu
Y
Liu
Yi-Ling
YL
Ye
Xin-Hua
XH
D002675:Child, Preschool; D004751:Enteritis / Q000276:immunology*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology*
D020382:Interleukin-18; D007371:Interferon-gamma