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Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology logoLink to Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology
. 1995 Jul;2(4):492–495. doi: 10.1128/cdli.2.4.492-495.1995

Cytokines in the stools of children with complicated shigellosis.

T Azim 1, R C Halder 1, M S Sarker 1, S Ahmed 1, J Hamadani 1, A Chowdhury 1, F Qadri 1, M A Salam 1, R B Sack 1, M J Albert 1
PMCID: PMC170187  PMID: 7583932

Abstract

The pathogenesis of the systemic complications, leukemoid reaction and hemolytic uremic syndrome, associated with Shigella dysenteriae type 1 infection is not well understood. The excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 (IL-6), has been suggested as a possible factor. We measured IL-6 and TNF-alpha in stools of 56 children with S. dysenteriae 1 infection and 29 children without any apparent infection, all age 12 to 60 months. Sixteen children with S. dysenteriae 1 infection had leukemoid reaction or hemolytic uremic syndrome (complicated shigellosis), while the others did not (uncomplicated shigellosis). Stool IL-6 and TNF-alpha concentrations were higher in children with uncomplicated shigellosis than in children with complicated shigellosis (P = 0.009 and < 0.001, respectively) or in uninfected children (P < 0.001). It is concluded that complicated infection is not associated with higher concentrations of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha in stool.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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