Cytokine storm of a different flavour: The different cytokine signature of SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, from the original SARS outbreak

Abstract

Here we present a case series of three patients with COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) who had a cytokine panel that revealed elevation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) but normal levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10), interferon-gamma (INF-γ) and interleukin-8 (IL-8), in contrast to the cytokine signature described in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). We also documented evidence of a compromised T-cell IFN-γ response in two of these patients.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• SARS-CoV-2
• Cytokines
• Interleukin-6
• Cytokine storm