Our results thus suggest that the substantial imbalance between IL-17/IL-10-producing cells (the involvement of FoxP3+IL-17A+IL-10+ cells cannot be excluded) and IL-17A/IFN-γ-producing cells, together with a reduced frequency in Th1 and Th2 cells, may act as an additional immunosuppressive factor in these patients, altering the physiological role of Th17, contributing to the infections and probably promoting leukemia escape. The gene discussed is IL10; the disease is infection.