Determination of intracellular cytokines produced by Th1 and Th2 cells using flow cytometry in patients with brucellosis

The aim of the study was to evaluate intracellular interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and interleukin-4 (IL-4) levels in pre- and post-treatment periods of brucellosis patients and to determine the relationship between these parameters and patients’ clinical findings. Twenty-five patients diagnosed as brucellosis and 11 aged-matched healthy volunteers were included in the study. CD3⁺CD4⁺ T lymphocytes levels were significantly lower in patients with brucellosis as compared to the control group. CD3⁺CD8⁺ T lymphocytes and CD3⁺IFN-γ⁺ levels were increased in brucellosis patients compared with the control group. CD4⁺IFN-γ⁺ and CD4⁺IL-4⁺ levels were no different between patients and healthy individuals. CD3⁺IL-4⁺ levels decreased in patients compared with healthy controls. Pre-treatment CD3⁺IFN-γ⁺ levels dramatically increased in patients responsive to management compared with the unresponsive ones. In responsive cases, CD3⁺IFN-γ⁺ levels decreased statistically after the treatment while in unresponsive cases no meaningful change was observed with respect to treatment. Adding IFN-γ to the treatment for improving the depleted levels of IFN-γ can be beneficial in patients with brucellosis who shows a tendency to chronicity or patients who do not respond to the treatment.