A switch towards Th2 during serological rebound in children with congenital toxoplasmosis.
Serological rebounds occur frequently in patients with congenital toxoplasmosis, but remain poorly understood. A link between Th1 and Th2 cytokines and the pathophysiology of infectious diseases has been reported. Production of interferon-gamma ( IFN-gamma) and IL-4 in supernatants of whole blood after in vitro specific Toxoplasma gondii stimulation and serum-specific IgE levels were studied in 31 congenitally infected children. IFN-gamma was produced at higher levels by lymphocytes from children with stable congenital toxoplasmosis (n = 18) than from children showing serological rebound (n = 13) (P < 0.04). Conversely, supernatants from children with serological rebound showed higher levels of IL-4 than those from children with stable congenital toxoplasmosis (P < 0.03). The polarized Th2 response was confirmed by a greater (IL-4:IFN-gamma) x 100 ratio (P < 0.0001) and production of T. gondii-specific IgE in six out of 13 children showing serological rebound. These results suggest a role of Th2 cytokines in destabilization of congenital toxoplasmosis and perhaps in local reactivation of the parasite.[1]References
- A switch towards Th2 during serological rebound in children with congenital toxoplasmosis. Kahi, S., Cozon, G.J., Pinon, J.M., Greenland, T., Wallon, M., Al Kurdi, M., Ferrandiz, J., Peyron, F. Clin. Exp. Immunol. (1999) [Pubmed]
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