The Impact of IL-18 and IFN-γ on Severity of Malaria and Quality of Treatment

Background & Objective: In human malaria, genotype of cytokines affect immune system. The impact of genotype -137G/C in IL-18 and +874A/T in IFN-γ on the severity of malaria and the quality of treatment – as factors to form asymptomatic persons in endemic regions- has been investigated.Materials & Methods: 100 patients and 102 healthy persons were evaluated by Nested-PCR and thick blood film. IL-18(G-137C) and IFN- γ (A+874T) were determined by Single Specific Primer-Polymerase Chain Reaction and ARMS-PCR methods, respectively. The results were analyzed statistically.Results: In this research, it has been observed that allele-T in IFN- γ gene and allele-C in IL-8 gene have protective effects against severity of Malaria. In addition, it has clearly been found that development and growth rate of plasmodium in µl of blood as well as anemia induced malaria significantly reduced in carriers of these alleles (p