Cytokine release by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated whole blood from patients with typhoid fever

Abstract

The ex vivo cytokine response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of whole blood from patients with typhoid fever was investigated. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α release by LPS-stimulated blood was found to be lower during acute typhoid fever than after a course of antimicrobial therapy (P ≤ .001). Ex vivo interleukin (IL)-1β, but not IL-1 receptor antagonist, release was also depressed during the acute stage of typhoid fever. Low ex vivo production of TNF-α was associated with delayed recovery. No association was found between the TNFA-308 promoter polymorphism and LPS-induced TNF-α release, either during an active infection or after treatment. In acute typhoid fever, the ability of peripheral bloo..