Cytokine network and acute primary HIV-1 infection.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between cytokine serum levels, peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and clinical picture in acute primary HIV-1 infection. Patients and methods: Absolute number/μl total lymphocytes, CD4+, CD8+ and natural killer (NK) cells, as well as serum levels of soluble CD8 receptor, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-R, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, β 2 -microglobulin and 5'-neopterin were determined in 15 patients with acute primary HIV-1 infection, 16 asymptomatic HIV-1-seropositive individuals and 18 HIV-1-seronegative individuals at risk for HIV-1 infection