A Low interleukin-10 tumor necrosis factor-a ratio Is associated with malaria anemia in children residing in a moloendemic malaria region in Western Kenya
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Date
1999
Authors
Othoro, Caroline
Lal, Altaf A.
Nahlen, Bernard
Koech, Davy
Orago, Alloys S. S.
Udhayakumar, Venkatachalam
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Abstract
The balance between Th1 cytokines (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, interferon [IFN]-g)
and Th2 cytokines (interleukin [IL]-10, -4) may be critical in the development of severe falciparum
malaria. Therefore, plasma concentrations of these cytokines were determined in
children with various manifestations of malaria. Plasma levels of IFN-g and IL-4 were undetectable
in most children. However, TNF-α and IL-10 were significantly elevated in children
with high-density parasitemia and malaria anemia compared with children in control groups.
In children with mild malaria, IL-10, but not TNF-α, was significantly elevated. While the
highest concentrations of TNF-α were found in children with malaria anemia, IL-10 levels
were highest in children with high-density uncomplicated malaria. The mean ratio of IL-10
to TNF-a was significantly higher in children with mild and high-density parasitemia (4.64,
P ! .005) than in children with malaria anemia (1.77). Thus, higher levels of IL-10 over TNF-α
may prevent development of malaria anemia by controlling the excessive inflammatory
activities of TNF-α
Description
Research paper
Keywords
Citation
The Journal of Infectious Diseases 1999;179:279–82