ABSTRACT
Background: Interleukin-10; IL-2 and IFN -? are some of the crucial cytokines associated with HIV infection and pathogenesis. While IL-2 and IFN-? play critical roles in host resistance to infection; IL-10 inhibits the synthesis IFN-?; IL-2 at mRNA and protein level; exacerbating damage to immune system. Objective: To determine the levels of; changes in and correlation between CD4 count; viral load; IL-10; IL-2 and IFN-? before HAART and at six months of HAART among HIV positive patients in Kigali; with a view to understand cytokine networks particularly in relation to HAART ; and to see whether they can be used as alternative markers of the disease progression. Design: Longitudinal study. Setting: Kagugu; Kimironko; Biryogo; Gitega Health Centres and Centre Medico-Social Cornum; all located in Kigali. Subjects: Thirty three (33) HAART initiation eligible HIV positive patients including 13 women and 20 men. Results: A drop in viral load (though only a small number of patients achieved an undetectable viraemia); a recovery of CD4+ cells; a decrease in IL-10 (though it remained high for many patients especially those with unchanged viraemia); and an increase in IL-2 and IFN-? indicated a successful HAART . A negative correlation between CD4 count and viral load and between CD4 count and IL-10 (but r -0.5) was observed. IL-10 correlated positively and strongly with viremia (r 0.5 at both time points: p-values 0.05). There was no significant correlation between CD4 count; IL-2 and IFN-?. Conclusion: Results demonstrated the down-regulatory effect of IL-10 on Th1 cytokines and that a shift from Th1 to Th2 cytokine is associated with HIV disease progression. A successful HAART results in CD4+ cells recovery; drop in viraemia and IL-10 with up-regulation of Th1 cytokines. Also; findings show potential usefulness of IL-10 as a marker of HIV disease progression