title: Cytokine responses in acute and persistent human parvovirus B19 infection.
abstract: The aim of this study was to characterize the proinflammatory and T helper (Th)1/Th2 cytokine responses during acute parvovirus B19 (B19) infection and determine whether an imbalance of the Th1/Th2 cytokine pattern is related to persistent B19 infection. Cytokines were quantified by multiplex beads immunoassay in serum from B19-infected patients and controls. The cytokine responses were correlated with B19 serology, quantitative B19 DNA levels and clinical symptoms. In addition to a proinflammatory response, elevated levels of the Th1 type of cytokines interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12 and IL-15 were evident at time of the initial peak of B19 viral load in a few patients during acute infection. This pattern was seen in the absence of an interferon (IFN)-gamma response. During follow-up (20-130 weeks post-acute infection) some of these patients had a sustained Th1 cytokine response. The Th1 cytokine response correlated with the previously identified sustained CD8+ T cell response and viraemia. A cross-sectional study on patients with persistent B19 infection showed no apparent imbalance of their cytokine pattern, except for an elevated level of IFN-gamma response. No general immunodeficiency was diagnosed as an explanation for the viral persistence in this later group. Neither the acutely infected nor the persistently infected patients demonstrated a Th2 cytokine response. In conclusion, the acutely infected patients demonstrated a sustained Th1 cytokine response whereas the persistently infected patients did not exhibit an apparent imbalance of their cytokine pattern except for an elevated IFN-gamma response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Infectious Disease Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden. adiba.isa@ki.se
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Isa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lundqvist
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lindblom
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tolfvenstam
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Broliden
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D016732:Parvovirus B19, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004279:DNA, Viral; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007371:Interferon-gamma