Systemic inflammatory responses in African tick-bite fever

J Infect Dis. 2003 Apr 15;187(8):1332-6. doi: 10.1086/368415. Epub 2003 Apr 2.

Abstract

Information regarding the inflammatory response in African tick-bite fever (ATBF), an emerging spotted-fever-group rickettsiosis, in international travelers to sub-Saharan Africa, is scarce. Plasma/serum levels of von Willebrand factor (vWF), soluble (s) E-selectin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, interferon-gamma, IL-10, IL-13, IL-8, RANTES, macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha, and C-reactive protein were studied, at both first presentation and follow-up, in 15 patients with travel-associated ATBF and in 14 healthy travelers who served as control subjects. Our main and novel findings are the following: (1) patients with ATBF had increased levels of vWF and sE-selectin, with a subsequent decrease at follow-up; (2) with the exception of IFN-gamma, levels of cytokines and chemokines were also increased in these patients at the first presentation; and (3) IL-10 and IL-13 tended to increase during follow-up, whereas most of the inflammatory cytokines decreased. The induction of these mediators and the balance between them may be critical both for the regulation of inflammation and for protective immunity in ATBF.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Africa
  • Animals
  • Arachnid Vectors
  • Bites and Stings / blood
  • Bites and Stings / immunology*
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / blood
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / immunology
  • Cytokines / blood
  • E-Selectin / blood
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / blood
  • Inflammation / immunology*
  • Inflammation / microbiology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Rickettsia / physiology
  • Rickettsia Infections / blood
  • Rickettsia Infections / immunology*
  • Tick-Borne Diseases / blood
  • Tick-Borne Diseases / immunology*
  • Ticks* / microbiology
  • Travel
  • von Willebrand Factor / analysis

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • E-Selectin
  • von Willebrand Factor