Tuberculosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Tuberculosis, including details on symptoms, causes, treatment, pulmonary, mycobacterium.

Interferon-alpha treatment of hepatitis D induces tuberculosis exacerbation in an immigrant.

Telesca C, Angelico M, Piccolo P, Nosotti L, Morrone A, Longhi C, Carbone M, Baiocchi L

Hepatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Edificio F, Torre Nord, Stanza F-575, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.

This report describes the case of a young Romanian patient who developed a severe exacerbation of pulmonary tuberculosis during interferon-alpha treatment for chronic hepatitis D. While this occurrence underscores that clinical guidelines should be applied with caution in immigrants from underdeveloped countries, due to the possible presence of unrecognized or unreported comorbidity, the mechanisms for an interferon-related exacerbation of pulmonary tuberculosis are also examined. We propose that IFN-induced weight loss and anorexia may have played an important role in promoting clinical manifestations of tuberculosis in our patient.

Published 19 March 2007 in J Infect, 54(4): e223-6.
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