Abstract:
We appreciated the recent study by Masson et al that utilized multiplex bead-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (MBB-ELISAs) to associate human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroconversion with raised genital inflammatory cytokines from samples from cervicovaginal lavages from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The authors found that several cytokines, including macrophage inflammatory protein 1B, macrophage inflammatory protein 1A, interferon gamma-induced protein 10, and interleukin 8 levels, were elevated in HIV seroconverters compared with nonconverters. We conducted a pilot study using MBB-ELISAs to simultaneously screen for 63 cytokines in sera samples collected from patients with and without syphilis in Lima, Peru. Interestingly our study found elevated levels of similar chemotactic, inflammatory, and hematopoietic cytokines to the ones seen in the study by Masson et al.