title: Increased serum hepcidin levels in brucellosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Both CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes play crucial roles in immunity to Brucella, in part because they secrete interferon (IFN)-γ and activate the bactericidal functions in macrophages. Hepcidin is an antimicrobial and iron regulatory peptide produced by the liver in response to inflammation and elevated systemic iron. Recent studies suggest that circulating monocytes and resident liver macrophages may influence both basal and inflam- matory expression of hepcidin and these two cell types act in concert to regulate hepcidin production during in- flammation. Here, we aimed to investigate the association of hepcidin levels with Brucellosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum hepcidin levels in 49 Brucellosis patients were compared with 52 healthy control subjects by com- mercial ELISA kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of serum hepcidin were significantly higher in Brucellosis patients compared with those of healthy controls (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in serum hepcidin levels among acute, subacute, and chronic cases with Brucellosis. Hepcidin levels were positively correlated with CRP in patients with brucellosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our first results may suggest that the levels of Hepcidin may be a useful adjunct to clinical and other laboratory findings suggestive of the disease for the diagnosis of Brucellosis, but cannot be used to differentiate the three different forms of this disease (acute, subacute, and chronic).
authors: Emel
authors: E
authors: Yilmaz
authors: Ayşe Oğuz
authors: AO
authors: Ayarci
authors: Deniz
authors: D
authors: Siğirli
authors: Meltem Öner
authors: MÖ
authors: Torlar
authors: Ferah
authors: F
authors: Budak
authors: Güher
authors: G
authors: Göral
authors: Haluk Barbaros
authors: HB
authors: Oral
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D064451:Hepcidins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D064451:Hepcidins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein