title: Assessing risk and managing Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and disease in patients due to start anti-TNFalpha treatment.
abstract: This short paper describes the rationale being applied in the United Kingdom to the problem of treating latent TB infection in persons requiring anti-TNF-alpha treatment. This will largely have to be done by an individual risk/benefit analysis based on the risks of developing disease from national epidemiology compared with the risks of significant hepatotoxicity from treatment of latent infection.
authors.affiliation: Chest Clinic, Blackburn Royal Infirmary, Blackburn, Lancashire BB2 3LR, UK.
authors.forename: L Peter
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Ormerod
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000502:physiology*; D044469:Racial Groups; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha