Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) is an economically important disease in pigs caused by porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). Development of this disease is presumably associated with an impairment of the immune system. We, therefore, investigated the systemic expression of relevant cytokines (IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p40, TNF-α, IFN-γ) and IL-2Rα at mRNA (semiquantitative RT-PCR) and at protein level (flow cytometric intracellular cytokine detection after short-time stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells) in 10 feeder pigs aged 14 weeks suffering from natural PMWS and in 10 clinically healthy pen-mates. Hematological examination revealed a significant (p<0.001) relative lymphopenia in the diseased animals when compared to reference pigs. IL-1α and IL-10 mRNA levels were notably increased in the affected pigs, whereas IL-2 and IL-2Rα (CD25) mRNA levels tended to be down-regulated. IL-8, TNF-α and IFN-γ mRNA expressions appeared to be slightly increased. Intracellular cytokine levels as measured by flow cytometry revealed an increase of IL-1β, IL-2, and IL-6, whereas IL-12 and TNF-α expressions were not affected. IFN-γ was slightly decreased in the diseased animals. In conclusion, despite the assumption, that the cellular immune response to PMWS as a virus-induced disease should be characterized by either a Th1 driven cytokine profile or a cytokine profile indicative of T cell immunosuppression, our results did not support that hypothesis. Nevertheless, data from intracellular cytokine detection suggest an even increased percentage of the remaining lymphocytes capable to produce IL-2 upon in vitro stimulation, which is in contrast to the slightly diminished IL-2 mRNA levels reflecting the in vivo situation at least at the mRNA level.