Objective     To investigate the changes of serum cytokines and explore their role in infants with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.      Methods     We recruited 41 positive CMV-IgM plus normal ALT infants (other disease group)

30 positive CMV-IgM plus abnormal ALT infants (hepatitis group) and 30 healthy infants (control group) in the study. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)

interferon-γ(IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in serum were measured with ELISA. The association between TNF-α and ALT was analyzed.      Results     The

levels of TNF-α

IFN-γ

IL-4 were higher

and IFN-γ/IL-4 was significantly lower in the two CMV infection groups than the control group. Compared with other disease group

the changes of TNF-α

IL-4

and IFN-γ/IL-4 showed significance in hepatitis group. The level of TNF-α showed a positive association with ALT in hepatitis group（r=0.76，P0.01）

  but IFN-γ increased slightly in both groups.      Conclusion     Abnormal cytokines secretion is corroborated in CMV-infected infants exhibited by the high levels of TNF-α as well as a close correlation with the inflammation extent. The changes of IFN-γ/IL-4 suggest the imbalance of Th

1

/Th

2

induced by the abnormal elevation of Th

2

. The conclusion will provide the immunological basis to clarify the pathogenesis of CMV infection and improve the prevention and cure measures.