Related Experiment Videos
[Miliary tuberculosis in a patient under adalimumab]
A De Voeght1, A-S Sauvage2, M Gensburger3
1Université de Liège. Belgique.
Revue Medicale De Liege
|April 7, 2017
Summary
Atypical miliary tuberculosis was diagnosed using molecular testing in a patient with psoriatic arthritis on adalimumab treatment. This highlights the challenges in diagnosing tuberculosis in patients receiving biological therapies.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Biological treatments, such as adalimumab, are used for autoimmune conditions like psoriatic arthritis.
- These therapies can modulate the immune system, potentially altering the presentation of infections.
- Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health concern, with varied clinical manifestations.
Observation:
- A patient with psoriatic arthritis treated with adalimumab presented with an atypical form of miliary tuberculosis.
- The diagnosis was challenging due to the non-classical presentation.
- Molecular testing was crucial for identifying the causative agent.
Findings:
- Molecular diagnostic techniques enabled the accurate identification of miliary tuberculosis.
- The case underscores that tuberculosis can present atypically in immunocompromised patients.
- Fever of unknown origin in patients on biologicals warrants a high suspicion for opportunistic infections like TB.
Implications:
- Early and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis is critical in patients on immunosuppressive therapy.
- Molecular testing offers a valuable tool for rapid and precise TB diagnosis.
- Clinicians must consider atypical presentations of tuberculosis in patients receiving biological treatments, especially those with unexplained fever.