Background and Objectives: Cytokines are produced and secreted from various cells, including T cells. Cytokines play an effective role in the responses elicited by the immune system. As brucella infection cause is an intracellular aerobic rod, cellular immunity has a considerable effect on this disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relation between cytokines and brucellosis arthritis, spondylitis, and sacroiliitis.

Materials and Methods: This descriptive case-control study was carried in two tertiary hospitals in Mashhad, Iran in 2010. The study population consisted of a case group, including the patients with the diagnosis of brucella arthritis with lower back pain and a control group, including normal healthy participants. The brucellosis was investigated regarding the history, physical examinations, and serologic examinations. The interferon gamma (IFNγ), interleukin 2 (IL-2), interleukin 4 (IL-4), interleukin 10 (IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) were measured in the serum samples of both groups using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique.

Results: The IL-10 had a significant difference in the brucella and control groups (P=0.02). However, IL-2, IL-4, and the TNFα were comparable between brucella and control groups (P=0.1). There was a significant difference between the IFNγ and brucella in the control group (P=0.05).

Conclusion: The IFNγ and IL-10 levels were higher in brucella group than those in control group.