Legionnaires’ Disease and Use of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Αlpha Inhibitors: A Forthcoming Problem?

Abstract

Aim: To establish a review in the current literature and to analyze the relation Legionnaires’ disease – TNF-α inhibitors, in order to estimate the real indications for such connection.Material and Methods: The electronic data for PubMed and Google Scholar have been searched, according to the vocabulary: legionellosis, epidemiology, outbreak, diagnosis, pathogenesis, therapy, TNF-α inhibitors, indications, side effects, risk of infection. The obtained studies have been selected in English, according to the relevance by the topic.Results: Selected papers, consisted of ten studies and eight case reports, yielded 35 cases of Legionnaires' disease associated with the use of TNF- α inhibitor treatment.Discussion: There is a prevailing conclusion for increased risk of serious infections while using TNF-α inhibitors and also a deficiency of studies for an association of Legionnaires’ disease with the use of TNF-α inhibitors. Sub-diagnosing and no-existence of screening before the anti-TNF-α therapy blur the factual profile for the researched relation. The possibility for latent infection has not been sufficiently researched.Conclusion: There are indications that Legionnaires’ disease in the therapy with TNF-α inhibitors is indeed a forthcoming problem. Additional target researches are required in order to establish the position of Legionnaires’ disease in the mosaic of anti - TNF-α therapy.