Depression of CD4 T cell subsets and alteration in cytokine profile in boutonneuse fever

Interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were significantly increased in sera from Sicilian patients with acute boutonneuse fever (BF) compared with those of healthy controls, IFN-gamma levels dropped sharply within the second week after infection, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-alpha levels gradually declined; in convalescent patients only were they in the normal range, In contrast, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated in vitro with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) produced low levels of IL-10 and IFN-gamma in acute BF that were compatible with the reduction in the levels of CD4(+), CD4(+)/CD45RO(+), and CD4(+)/CD45RA(+) cells. In vitro production of TNF-alpha and IL-6 from PBMC stimulated with PHA was not significantly modified during the various phases of the infection compared with control PBMC, which could be due to the persistence of high levels of CD14(+) monocytes compensating for the decrease in CD20(+) B cells.