Abstract

RODRIGUES, Denise Bertulucci Rocha et al. Cytokine serum levels in patients infected by human immunodeficiency virus with and without Trypanosoma cruzi coinfection. Rev. Soc. Bras. Med. Trop. [online]. 2005, vol.38, n.6, pp. 483-487. ISSN 0037-8682.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86822005000600007.

This study assessed the number of CD4 T lymphocytes, the parasitemia and serum levels of interferon gamma (IFN-g), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-4 and IL-10 of patients infected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and human immunodeficiency virus/Chagas' disease coinfection. CD4 T lymphocytes were low in the two groups of patients, although significantly lower in patients without Chagas' disease. Serum levels of IFN-g, IL-4 and TNF-a were significantly higher in patients with HIV/Chagas' disease. IL-4/IFN-g ratios were higher in patients with HIV/Chagas' disease, which showed a clear balance in favor of Th2-like cytokines in this group of patients. This Th2 balance was higher in patients with detectable parasitemia. We conclude that, although immunosuppression was observed, with CD4 T lymphocytes bellow 200/µm³, these patients did not display reactivation of T. cruzi infection and that a balance favorable to Th2 was associated with the presence of parasitemia.

Keywords : Cytokine; Chagas' disease; Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; Trypanosoma cruzi.