Stress-mediating inflammatory cytokine profiling reveals unique patterns in malaria and typhoid fever patients.

Malaria and typhoid fever pose significant health risks, leading to severe morbidity and mortality when inadequately treated. Understanding the role of stress-related inflammatory cytokines is crucial, as they mediate immune responses that affect pathogen clearance and recovery. This study investigated the cytokine profiles in patients with malaria and/or typhoid fever attending the Obala District Hospital in Yaoundé, Cameroon. We conducted a cross-sectional observational study measuring cortisol and inflammatory cytokines in blood samples from 55 infected patients and a control group of 15 healthy individuals using ELISA kits. We also evaluated psychological stress over the past 30 days using a 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) questionnaire to explore the link between stress and immune response. Psychological stress levels were notably higher in the typhoid fever group (18.20 ± 5.5) compared to the other groups, although these differences were statistically insignificant. Cortisol levels were significantly elevated (p