Consensus Document on Prevention and Treatment of Tuberculosis in Patients for Biological Treatment

Abstract

Tuberculosis risk is increased in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases receiving any immunosuppressive treatment, notably tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists therapy. Screening for the presence of latent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and targeted preventive treatment to reduce the risk of progression to TB is mandatory in these patients. This Consensus Document summarizes the current knowledge and expert opinion of biologic therapies including TNF-blocking treatments. It provides recommendations for the use of interferon-gamma release assays (IGRA) and tuberculin skin test (TST) for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in these patients, and for the type and duration of preventive therapy.

Keywords: Biologic therapies; Chronic inflammatory diseases; Enfermedades inflamatorias crónicas; Infección tuberculosa latente; Interferon-gamma release assays; Latent tuberculosis infection; Terapias biológicas; Técnicas de liberación de interferón gamma.