Anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy and influenza: keeping it in perspective

Matt Shale; Markus Czub; Gilaad G Kaplan; Remo Panaccione; Subrata Ghosh

doi:10.1177/1756283X10366368

Anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy and influenza: keeping it in perspective

Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2010 May;3(3):173-7. doi: 10.1177/1756283X10366368.

Authors

Matt Shale¹, Markus Czub, Gilaad G Kaplan, Remo Panaccione, Subrata Ghosh

Affiliation

¹ Gastrointestinal Section, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom.

Abstract

The association of opportunistic infections in the context of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antibody therapies have attracted widespread attention. The recent H1N1 influenza pandemic brought this into sharp focus with numerous patient queries and physician anxieties. The following short review gives a scientific perspective to this issue including the role of vaccination.

Keywords: anti-tumor necrosis factor antibody; inflammatory bowel disease; influenza; vaccine.