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Evidence for human immunodeficiency virus and Cryptococcus neoformans interactions in the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses in blood during AIDS-associated cryptococcosis.

Lortholary O, Sitbon K, Dromer F,

Unité de Mycologie Moléculaire, Centre National de Référence Mycologie et Antifongiques, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France. olortho@pasteur.fr

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL)-6, -8 and-10 and soluble TNF receptor II (sTNFR II) levels were measured at baseline, and after antifungal therapy for 2 weeks and 3 months, in plasma from 75 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and 14 HIV-negative patients with cryptococcosis, and in plasma from 14 HIV-positive controls. At baseline, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and sTNFR II levels, and cryptococcal antigen titres, were increased in patients with fungaemia compared to controls (p < 0.02). The mediator levels were not influenced by the severity of the disease or subsequent death, but sTNFR II and IL-10 levels were reduced, together with virus load, in patients receiving anti-retroviral agents (p < 0.01). During antifungal therapy, sTNFR II levels decreased (p 0.003) in parallel with the virus load and with an increase in CD4 T-cell numbers.

Published 11 March 2005 in Clin Microbiol Infect, 11(4): 296-300.
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