Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Hoffman, Kevin W
• Lee, Jakleen J
• Foster, Gregory A
• Krysztof, David
• Stramer, Susan L
• Lim, Jean K

Titel

Sex differences in cytokine production following West Nile virus infection: Implications for symptom manifestation

Ist Teil von

• Pathogens and disease, 2019-03, Vol.77 (2)

Ort / Verlag

United States: Oxford University Press

Erscheinungsjahr

2019

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Oxford Journals 2020 Medicine

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• ABSTRACT West Nile virus (WNV) infection outcomes vary among individuals, with most infections resulting in asymptomatic or mild flu-like symptoms. We previously reported an association between early cytokine production and symptom outcome following WNV infection in US blood donors. In this meta-analysis, we found that WNV-infected females reported more symptoms than WNV-infected males, despite similar initial viremia and type I interferon responses. As the infection progressed, males exhibited a protracted cytokine response—marked by sustained CCL2 (MCP-1), CCL11 (eotaxin-1), CXCL10 (IP-10) and IL-15—that was absent in females. Our results suggest that sex differences may be a factor in sustaining WNV immunity. Sex may play a role in regulating the host cytokine response to West Nile virus infection in humans.