Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis Triggered by Interferon Beta-1b Therapy of Multiple Sclerosis: Four Case Reports and a Literature Review

Medicina (Kaunas). 2020 Apr 24;56(4):202. doi: 10.3390/medicina56040202.

Abstract

In this paper, we reported on four cases of severe pulmonary active tuberculosis in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) undergoing interferon beta-1b (IFNβ-1b) therapy. Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) in MS may increase the risk of developing active tuberculosis (TB) due to their impact on cellular immunity. Screening for latent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (LTBI) should be performed, not only for the newer DMTs (alemtuzumab, ocrelizumab) but also for IFNβ-1b, alongside better supervision of these patients.

Keywords: IFNβ-1b; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; active tuberculosis; comorbidities; latent infection; multiple sclerosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / administration & dosage
  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / adverse effects*
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interferon beta-1b / administration & dosage
  • Interferon beta-1b / adverse effects*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / drug therapy*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / etiology*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / immunology

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Interferon beta-1b