Evaluation of some interleukins and immunomodulatory factors in Iraqi scabies patients

Abstract

Scabies is a contagious skin infection, caused by Sarcoptesscabiei. It is one of a neglected parasitic disease. It causes complications that lead to inflammatory and allergic immune response.This study was designed to obtain the role of some cytokines in scabies patients and compare their levels with dermal diseases patients and control (healthy). The study included one hundred and three patients infected with scabies, seven dermal disease patients (positive controls) as well as 34 healthy individual as control group. The blood samples were collected from scabies and dermal disease patients as well as the control groups.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure Interleukine-4 (IL-4), Interleukin-8 (IL-8), Interleukin-17A (IL-17A), Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Interferon-γ (IFN-γ), Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 (MCP-1) and Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1-α (MIP-1-α) in the serum of scabies patients, dermal disease patients and healthy individuals. The results showed that IL-4, IL-8, IL-17A and TNF-α was higher in scabies patients than in other groups (positive control and healthy), with no significant differences. While both of MIP-α and MCP-1 were higher in scabies patients compared with healthy group, with significant differences. MIP-α was higher in dermal patients individuals than in scabies patients. TNF-α was lower in scabies patients than in healthy group but higher than in dermal disease patient group.There was positive correlation between IL-17A and each of IL-8, TNF-α, MCP-1 and between IL-8 and both of IL-17A and MCP-1, while there was negative correlation between MIP-1-α and both of IL-4 and MCP-1.The results suggested that the scabies infection may induce the systemic and inflammatory immune response.