Fig. 2.

Release of IL-10 (a) and IFN-γ (b) by non-stimulated or Emf-, EmAp- or PHA-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The secretion of the cytokines was assessed in PBMC culture supernatants from nine patients infected with Echinococcus multilocularis, three subjects with abortive alveolar echinococcosis (AE), seven subjects with positive E. multilocularis serologies, and nine control subjects with negative E. multilocularis serologies. Values are means ± s.e.m. *P < 0·05 non-stimulated versus stimulated PBMC (Wilcoxon signed rank test); **significant difference between progressive AE group and the other groups (Kruskall–Wallis test). Control medium, no stimulation; Emf Ag, stimulation with the purified vesicular fluid antigen; EmAp Ag, stimulation with the alkaline phosphatase of E. multilocularis; PHA, stimulation with the non-specific mitogen, phytohaemagglutinin.