Apr. 13, 2010 An experimental drug that boosts production of the
immune system protein interferon worsens tuberculosis (TB) in
mice, according to scientists from the National Institutes of
Health. The drug acts indirectly by drawing certain immune
cells, in which Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) bacteria
thrive, to the lungs. The findings may have potential
implications for the care of people infected with TB, the
authors note. The research is reported in the May 3 issue of
Journal of Clinical Investigation, now available online.
"Although our research was conducted in mice, our combined
findings suggest that reactivation of TB should be considered as
a potential side effect if compounds that boost type I
interferon production, like the one used in this study, are
tested in people who may be infected with M.tb," says Alan Sher,
Ph.D., of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases (NIAID), NIH, who led the team of scientists. Most
people infected with M.tb do not develop active TB. Instead, the