Zeitschrift für klinische und zelluläre Immunologie
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Ascaris lumbricoides Co-Infection does not Alter Clinical Evolution of Pulmonary Tuberculosis nor Th1/Th2/Th17 Cytokine Profile but May Reduce Tissue Damage by Decreasing Il-6 Levels

João Hugo Abdalla Santos, Samira Bührer-Sékula, Gisely Cardoso Melo, Marcelo Cordeiro-Santos, João Paulo Diniz Pimentel, Adriano Gomes-Silva, Allyson Guimarães Costa, Valeria Saraceni, Alda Maria Da-Cruz and Marcus Vinícius Guimarães Lacerda

Immunological control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection is dependent on the cellular immune response, mediated predominantly by Th1 type CD4⁺ T cells. Polarization of the immune response to Th2 can inhibit the host immune protection against pathogens. Patients with tuberculosis (TB) co-infected with helminths show more severe pulmonary manifestations, a deficiency in the immune response against TB and an impaired response to anti-TB therapy. We evaluated the cellular immune response and the impact of the presence of Ascaris lumbricoides (Al) on the immune and clinical response in pulmonary TB patients. Ninety-one total individuals were included: 38 TB patients, 11 TB patients coinfected with Al and other helminths, 10 Al patients, and 34 non-infected control individuals. Clinical evolution of pulmonary tuberculosis was studied on 0, 30, 60, and 90 days post-diagnosed by MTB and Al. Furthermore, immune cells and plasmatic cytokine profiles in mono/co-infection MTB and Al by Flow Cytometry. There were no statistical differences for any of the evaluated parameters and the results indicated that Al infection does not appear to lead to significant clinical repercussions in the presentation and evolution of pulmonary tuberculosis. Unexpectedly, the association with Al also did not influence the Th1, Th2 and Th17 type responses, as well as the percentage of the T lymphocyte subpopulations. However, higher serum levels of IL-6 in TB patients may explain lung parenchyma damage.