Cytokine levels in Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus causes severe disease in humans with a mortality reaching 30%. A CCHF outbreak took place in Albania in 2003. As in other viral hemorrhagic fevers cytokines may be involved and play a role in the pathogenesis and outcome of the disease.

OBJECTIVES:

To investigate the levels of TNF-alpha, sTNF-R, IL-6 and IL-10 in serum samples obtained from laboratory confirmed CCHF cases and relate them to the severity of the disease.

STUDY DESIGN:

A study population of 51 was divided into three groups: group A, consisting of PCR-positive cases; group B, consisting of PCR-negative and serology-positive cases; group C, consisting of doubly negative cases. Concentrations of serum TNF-alpha, sTNF-R, IL-6 and IL-10 were measured during the illness.

RESULTS:

High levels of all cytokines tested were present in one fatal case. Statistically significant differences between the groups were obtained for TNF-alpha and IL-6: TNF-alpha was detected in 3 cases in group A, and in none of the other groups, while IL-6 was elevated in 10/16 patients in group A, 4/9 in group B, and 4/26 in group C. sTNF-R was not significantly different for the three groups. High concentration of IL-10 was detected only in the fatal case.

CONCLUSIONS:

TNF-alpha and IL-6 are the cytokines most often detected during a CCHF viral infection. TNF-alpha was associated with the severe form of CCHF, while IL-6 was elevated in both severe and mild cases.

• Authors: Anna Papa, Silva Bino, Enkelejda Velo, Arjan Harxhi, Majlinda Kota, Antonis Antoniadis
• Journal: Journal of clinical virology : the official publication of the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology (J Clin Virol) Vol. 36 Issue 4 Pg. 272-6 (Aug 2006) ISSN: 1386-6532 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 16765637 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Viral
• Interleukin-6
• RNA, Viral
• Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• Interleukin-10

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Antibodies, Viral (immunology)
• Child
• Female
• Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
• Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo (classification, genetics, immunology, isolation & purification)
• Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean (immunology, mortality, pathology)
• Humans
• Interleukin-10 (blood)
• Interleukin-6 (blood)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• RNA, Viral (chemistry, isolation & purification)
• Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
• Sequence Analysis, RNA
• Severity of Illness Index
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (analysis)