Testing and Prophylaxis of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Patients Receiving Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Antagonists

Treatment with tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) antagonists is a risk factor for active tuberculosis. Especially for patients with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), the risk of tuberculosis reactivation is greater, which lays weight on the importance of the screening of LTBI and the choice of treatment regimens in this population. 2015 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on the management of LTBI strongly recommended that patients should receive LTBI screening before using TNF-α antagonists. Furthermore, there were five regimens recommended. However, no data are available on the efficacy and safety of the five regimens in this population in WHO guidelines. This review focuses on the screening and treatment of LTBI in patients receiving TNF-α antagonists, in order to provide a basis for the management of LTBI in clinical practice.