Inflammatory cytokine profile and T cell responses in African tick bite fever patients

In this study, inflammatory mediators and T cell responses were examined in samples from 13 patients with polymerase chain reaction-confirmedR. africae infections at different time points of illness. The Th1-associated cytokines IFN γ and IL-12 were increased in the acute phase of illness, as were levels of the T cell chemoattractant cytokine CXCL-10. In addition, the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and also IL-22 were elevated. IL-22 but not IFNγ was increasingly produced by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells during illness. Besides IFN γ, IL-22 appears to play a protective role in rickettsial infections.
Source: Medical Microbiology and Immunology - Category: Microbiology Source Type: research