Cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in children with central nervous system infections.

Concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in cerebrospinal (CSF) samples were determined from 11 control and 42 children with central nervous system infections including 11 patients with bacterial meningitis, 20 patients with aseptic meningitis, 11 patients with encephalitis. The CSF IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha concentrations in patients with bacterial meningitis were significantly higher than those with aseptic meningitis, encephalitis and the control groups. CSF IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha levels in patients with aseptic meningitis were also significantly higher than those in the control group. There was no significant increase of CSF IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha concentrations in patients with encephalitis compared to the control group. CSF IL-6 and TNF-alpha concentrations were decreased in patients with bacterial meningitis after treatment. CSF IL-8 levels were significantly decreased in both bacterial and aseptic meningitis groups at recovery period. There were no correlation between CSF IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha levels and other parameters including CSF leukocytes, protein, sugar, IgG levels and IgG indexes in patients with bacterial meningitis. These results suggest that IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha are important mediators in the meningeal inflammatory process in patients with meningitis. The levels of these mediators are good indicators for the extent of the meningeal inflammation.