Publications & Reports

Interferon-gamma and IL-5 production correlate directly in HIV patients co-infected with mycobacterium tuberculosis with or without immune restoration disease.

Oliver BG, Elliott JH, Saphonn V, Vun MC, French MA, Price P
School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. [email protected]

Abstract

IL-5 and interferon-gamma responses were investigated in mitogen-stimulated whole-blood cultures from HIV patients with and without Mycobacterium tuberculosis disease, to determine whether an imbalance of Th1/Th2 cytokines contributes to susceptibility to M. tuberculosis disease or to immune restoration disease (IRD) associated with M. tuberculosis after starting antiretroviral therapy (ART). Interferon-gamma levels were constant on ART, whilst IL-5 levels generally rose over time. We suggest that increased IL-5 production reflects a recovery of CD4(+) T cell function and that a Th1/Th2 imbalance is not associated with increased susceptibility to M. tuberculosis disease or IRD associated with M. tuberculosis upon starting ART.

Publication

  • Journal: AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses
  • Published: 01/12/2010
  • Volume: 26
  • Issue: 12
  • Pagination: 1287-1289

Author