Elevated Serum Levels of IL-10 and IFN-γ in Patients with Acute Plasmodium falciparum Malaria

Abstract

Serum levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were determined in 37 patients with acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Bangkok, Thailand. Serum levels of IL-10 and IFN-γ were markedly elevated in patients with malaria prior to treatment (717 ± 260 pg/ml versus 2.2 ± 1.3 pg/ml in healthy controls; 123 ± 71 pg/ml versus 29 ± 9 pg/ml, respectively; mean ± SD). Serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-10 dropped significantly during treatment and were normal 14 and 21 days, respectively, after treatment was started. Prior to therapy a correlation between serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-10 existed (r = 0.563). These results suggest that stimulatory and inhibitory cytokines for macrophage activation and/or antibody production (i.e., TH1- and TH2-type immunoreaction, respectively) are coexpressed during acute P. falciparum infection and stress the multifactorial network between host and parasite in malaria immunology.