Pulmonary miliary tuberculosis in a patient with anti-TNF-alpha treatment

No difference in the number of serious adverse events was reported in previous clinical trials in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients treated with TNF-alpha blockade, but a patient died because of disseminated tuberculosis. A tuberculosis reactivation in a patient with IBD and anti-TNF-alpha treatment has been recently reported. Very recently 70 cases of tuberculosis were reported from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System. We report a case of pulmonary miliary tuberculosis in a RA patient treated with TNF-alpha blockade. The important role of TNF-alpha in defence against tuberculosis and possible mechanisms of anti-TNF-alpha agents impairing tuberculosis immune response are discussed.