Routinely used biomarkers of bacterial etiology of infection, such as C-reactive protein and procalcitonin, have limited usefulness for evaluation of infections since their expression is enhanced by a number of different conditions. Therefore, several inflammatory cytokines and chemokines were analyzed with sera from patients hospitalized for moderate bacterial and viral infectious diseases. In total, 57 subjects were enrolled: 21 patients with community-acquired bacterial infections, 26 patients with viral infections, and 10 healthy subjects (control cohorts). The laboratory analyses were performed using Luminex technology, and the following molecules were examined: IL-1Ra, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, INF-γ, MIP-1β, and MCP-1. Bacterial etiology of infection was associated with significantly (P < 0.001) elevated serum concentrations of IL-1Ra, IL-2, IL-6, and TNF-α in comparison to levels observed in the sera of patients with viral infections. In the patients with bacterial infections, IL-1Ra and IL-8 demonstrated positive correlation with C-reactive protein, whereas, IL-1Ra, TNF-α, and MCP-1 correlated with procalcitonin. Furthermore, elevated levels of IL-1Ra, IL-6, and TNF-α decreased within 3 days of antibiotic therapy to levels observed in control subjects. The results show IL-1Ra as a potential useful biomarker of community-acquired bacterial infection.

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The aim was to analyze T-regulatory cells (Tregs), activated CD8(+) T cells, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF)-β in hepatitis C patients. We enrolled 31 patients with chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, 30 seropositive persons with spontaneous HCV elimination, and 23 healthy volunteers. The patients were examined at the beginning of the interferon-alpha (IFN-α)-based therapy (baseline) and at weeks 4 (W4) and 12 (W12) of the therapy. The percentage of Tregs and the expression of activation markers CD38 and HLA-DR on CD8(+) T cells were analyzed in the peripheral blood by flow cytometry. Serum levels of TGF-β were measured in a multiplex assay using flow cytometry. The percentage of Tregs in patients was higher than in controls and seropositive persons. Similarly, the percentage of CD8(+) T cells expressing CD38 and HLA-DR was higher in patients compared with controls and seropositive persons. Chronic HCV infection is associated with elevated circulating Tregs and activated CD8(+) T cells. During IFN-α-based therapy these cells gradually increase, whereas TGF-β serum levels decrease.