Successful antiviral and antituberculosis treatment with pegylated interferon-alfa and ribavirin in a chronic hepatitis C patient with pulmonary tuberculosis.
Pulmonary tuberculosis is a rare side effect of antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C. We present the case of 55-year-old woman with chronic hepatitis C, who developed pulmonary tuberculosis after receiving 8 weeks of peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin therapy. Antituberculous treatment was started and antiviral agents were given continually at adjusted doses. Her symptoms of cough with blood-tinged sputum improved 1 month after antituberculous therapy. Treatment for hepatitis C and pulmonary tuberculosis were completed after 6 months. At 6 months after antiviral therapy, a sustained virological response was achieved and follow-up chest radiography showed a marked regressive change. This is believed to be the first case report of complete remission from hepatitis C and pulmonary tuberculosis treated concurrently with antiviral and antituberculous agents.
Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Ming-Chao
MC
Tsai
Meng-Chih
MC
Lin
Chao-Hung
CH
Hung
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a