Onchocerca volvulus microfilariaemia was determined the skin tissues of 80 volunteers from Cameroon. The serum of these 80 volunteers and their 16 control counterparts were analysed for cytokines namely Interleukin (IL-) IL-1β, IL – 4, Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), Interferon gamma (IFN- g), concentration using Enzyme Linked Immunoassay kits (ELISA). The mean serum cytokine levels of 80 O. volvulus infected volunteers and their control subjects are interleukin (IL -) 1β 455.51±73.14 and 453.45±11.24; IL – 4 (25.86±13.70 and 16.87±13.84); IFN- g (282.32±101.79 and 322.25±74.62); (TNF-α 551.6±28.9 and 220.55±45.83) respectively. The differences in IL-1β and IFN-γ between positive and negative control subjects were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Depressed serum IL-4 and TNF-α concentration were observed in infected individuals. There was a negative association between microfilarial density and the profile of IL-4 in infected volunteers. Also a positive correlation between the white blood cell and IL-4 in positive patients was observed. The level of TNF-α in positive individuals was negatively associated with WBC and lymphocyte counts (P<0.05). The depressed IL-4 and TNF-α in the sera of the volunteers living with O. volvulus may be indicative of suppressive immunity which could influence the pathological effects of O. volvulus infection among Cameroonians. Depressed IL-4 and TNF-α are associated with O. volvulus.
