title: Interleukin-12 as successful adjuvant in tuberculosis treatment.
abstract: Interleukin-12 (IL-12) proved to be an effective and successful adjuvant to a standard antituberculotic medication in a patient suffering from progressive clinical tuberculosis (TB). IL-12 is a potent enhancer of interferon-gamma production which is necessary for killing intracellular bacteria like mycobacteria. This patient's TB was progressive, although sensitivity to first-line antituberculotics was proven and medication was given as directly observed therapy over more than 8 months. The 3-month adjuvant therapy with IL-12 significantly and convincingly improved results. It is believed that this case, the first in the literature to describe adjuvant interleukin-12 therapy in tuberculosis, strongly encourages the study of adjuvant interleukin-12 therapy on a more systematic basis.
authors.affiliation: Dept Internal Medicine, Research Centre Borstel, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Greinert
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schlaak
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Entzian
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma