EVALUATION OF INTERLEUKIN-12 AND INTERLEUKIN-4 LEVELS IN MULTIBACILLARY-TYPE LEPROSY PATIENT 12 MONTHS AFTER RIFAMPICIN OFLOXACIN MINOCYCLINE COMBINATION THERAPY

Abstract

Background: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. In leprosy, cell-mediated immune responses are an important aspect of host resistance to mycobacterial infections and allegedly governed by anequilibrium between type 1 cytokines including Interleukin-12 (IL-12); with type 2 cytokines such as Interleukin-4 (IL-4). Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 3 leprosy treatment regimens, one of them is Rifampicin Ofloxacin Minocycline (ROM). To date, studies on the effects of ROM on leprosy have been limited, none have specifically assessed the effects of ROM on specific immune systems, especially cytokines. Methods: The study was conducted by prospective research method. The sample of this research were all multibacillary (MB) type of leprosy patients according to WHO classification who had received ROM therapy and recorded as the patient at research location and had medical record previous of interleukin-12 and interleukin-4 levels. After 12 months of ROM therapy, blood samples were collected and calculated using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) using the Quantikine® high sensitivity (HSv) kit. Results: There was a statistically significant increase in IL-4 after 12 months of a 3-months-ROM therapy. In contrast, the levels of IL-12 after 12 months showed significant decreases. Conclusions: Increased levels of IL-4 and decreased IL-12 can be caused by many factors. Therefore, further research with a closer supervision is required.