%0 Journal Article
%T Serum neopterin is elevated in patients infected with Shigella
%A Kirnpal-Kaur Singh
%A WA Wan-Nurfahizul-Izzati
%A Asma Ismail
%J Gut Pathogens
%D 2010
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1757-4749-2-9
%X In this study, the level of neopterin was determined in serum samples obtained from patients infected with Shigella (all four species) and healthy individuals. The study population comprised of 14 patients infected with Shigella and 14 normal controls. Serum neopterin was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The mean of serum neopterin concentration was 36.32 ¡À 9.71 nmol/L among patients infected with Shigella and 2.88 ¡À 0.77 nmol/L in the control group. The mean serum neopterin levels were significantly higher in the test group as compared to the normal group (p = 0.002).This study revealed that neopterin was elevated in patients infected with Shigella.Neopterin is produced by human monocytes/macrophages upon stimulation with interferon gamma produced by activated T-lymphocytes and Natural Killer (NK) cells [1,2]. It is a low molecular weight pteridine compound and is thought to represent a marker of immune activation and the proliferation of macrophages [3]. Change in concentration of neopterin serves as a valuable indicator of clinical progression of the disease to severe, acute form [4].Levels of neopterin are increased in infections caused by viruses, intracellular bacteria and parasites, autoimmune and other inflammatory diseases, malignant tumors and allograft transplantation [1,2]. Neopterin levels in serum or urine usually correlate with the clinical course. The level is high early in the infection and it decreases as soon as antibodies against the pathogen become detectable [5,6]. Serial measurements of the level of neopterin in a particular patient may be useful in monitoring the course of a condition [4]. Levels of neopterin in body fluids can be determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), radioimmunoassay (RIA) or ELISA.Shigella spp. is the major cause of bacillary dysentery worldwide. It is a Gram negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming rod-shaped bacterium that is highly infectious. Shigella belongs to the famil
%U http://www.gutpathogens.com/content/2/1/9