Cytokine levels are associated with the severity of varicella infections

Abstract

Introduction: Varicella is a highly contagious disease. Epidemics of varicella are seen every year globally and present a threat to public health, especially in China and other developing countries. Methodology: Clinical and laboratory findings of 865 varicella patients admitted to Beijing You'an Hospital, China, between January 2011 and December 2013 were collected and analyzed. Patients with isolated complication were grouped as SI (skin infection, n = 132) and LD (liver damage, n = 89). Two hundred and one patients without complications were grouped as control (mild group). Levels of T-cell subtypes and eight serum cytokines and were also tested. Levels of IFN and IL-6 were monitored prospectively in another 12 grouped patients. Results: SI was complicated in 21.7% (188/865) of varicella cases, and LD was complicated in 16.8% (145/865). The rates of SI and LD in varicella patients increased rapidly in the past three years. No laboratory findings were associated with SI or LD (all p > 0.05). IL-6 and IFN levels were correlated with amniotic membrane extract (AME) (p = 0.044 and p = 0.038). Their levels peaked at day 1 of admission, and then started to decline. Conclusions: The incidence of serious complications has become more common in recent years. IL-6 and IFN may possibly be used as early serum markers for identifying patients at risk of developing complications such as skin infections in varicella.

The role of interleukin-10 gene polymorphism (rs 1800872) in the course of herpes zoster in adults

“…It is known that dominant role in controlling dissemination and generalization of varicella zoster virus belongs to the cellular immunity of Th1-type [8,16,17]. Recently, special attention has been paid to study the role of IL-10 in the course of this infection.…”

“…In patients with a moderate course of herpes zoster, the authors [7,21] found an increase in blood levels of IL-10, which was treated as an adequate immunological response to the virus, with ability to reconvalescence without development of different complications. However, in severe course of shingles there was an insufficient immunological reactivity of the organism, which was characterized by a constant level of IL-10 [8,17]. All of this scientific researches has a definite pathogenetic explanation, namely it is known that in damage of brain cells, neurogliocytes produce IL-10, which increases the vitality of brain cells [16,25].…”

“…In modern literature there are solitary scientific researches which concern to determining the role of cytokines in the formation of bacterial complications in infected of varicela zoster virus. Thus, the study [8] has shown that interleukin-6 and interferon-ɣ can be used as early markers for the identification of patients with a high risk of developing bacterial skin complications. The data obtained in our study showed association of the TG gene IL-10 (rs 1800872) carrier with a high risk development of complications related the addition of secondary bacterial microflora (OR = 5.82 95 % CI = 1.03-32.79).…”

“…According to some authors [7] reported, the nature of the course of herpes zoster primarily depends on the immunological reactivity of early T-cell immunity, and much less depends on antibody production. The severe course of the disease is associated with a reduced T-cell response to the virus and high viral load in the human body [8]. However, current research suggests the dependence of the immune response on the polymorphism of genes, encoding cytokines, which are mediators of intercellular interactions [9].…”

The beneficial effects of varicella zoster virus

“…Additionally, IL-6 and IFN-γ may be used as early serum markers for the development of complications of VZV disease such as skin infection [408]. VZV infection of primary spinal cord astrocytes causing myelopathy and VZV infection of primary hippocampal astrocytes that causes encephalopathy have produced distinctive alterations and patterns of proin lammatory cytokine suppression that could contribute to the ineffective viral clearance in both VZV associated myelopathy and encephalopathy [409].…”