Plasma levels of interlukin-4 and Interferon-γ in patients with chronic or healed cutaneous leishmaniasis.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, the serum level of interferon-γ (IFN- γ) and interlukin-4 (IL-4) was evaluated as a marker of Th1 and Th2 immune response that influence the clinical course of cutaneous leishmaniasis .


METHODS
This cross-sectional study was conducted on 44 cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis (21 cases with healed lesions and 23 cases with chronic non-healing lesions. Thirty-two non-infected persons living in the area were considered as controls. Serum levels of IFN- γ and IL-4 were determined using ELISA, and the results along with clinical data were analyzed using SPSS 11.5.


RESULTS
Serum IFN-γ level was not significantly different between various patient groups and control (P=0.27), but the serum level of IL-4 in patient groups was higher than in healthy subjects, and it was higher in patients with non-healed chronic cutaneous leishmaniasis than those with healed lesions (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Serum IL-4 level is a good marker for evaluation of the clinical course of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Emam Reza Hospital, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Ahmad Reza
AR
Taheri
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Emam Reza Hospital, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Vahid
V
Mashayekhi Goyonlo
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Emam Reza Hospital, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Yalda
Y
Nahidi
Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Nasrin
N
Moheghi
Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Jalil
J
Tavakkol Afshari
Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Interferon-γ; Interlukin-4; T helper cell