01770nas a2200349   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002900055653002700084653001100111653001100122653001500133653001200148653000900160653001600169653003100185653002800216653002200244653003200266100001900298700002000317700002300337700002600360700001400386700003100400700002700431245013700458300001000595490000700605520079400612022001401406       2009                            d  c2009 May10aAnti-Inflammatory Agents10aAntibodies, Monoclonal10aBiopsy10aHumans10aInfliximab10aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aMycobacterium tuberculosis10aSpondylitis, Ankylosing10aTreatment Outcome10aTumor Necrosis Factor-alpha1 aVilela Lopes R1 aBarros Ohashi C1 aHelena Cavaleiro L1 aBritto Pereira Cruz R1 aVeiga RRG1 aFernando Ribeiro Miranda M1 aToshimitsu Yoshikawa G00aDevelopment of leprosy in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis during the infliximab treatment: reactivation of a latent infection?  a615-70 v283 a<p>The use of tumor necrosis factor alpha as a treatment for chronic inflammatory conditions has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of developing infections, especially Mycobacterium tuberculosis, atypical mycobacteria, and other microorganisms. We report the case of a 58-year-old man with ankylosing spondylitis, receiving infliximab treatment, who presented with multiple plaques on the face, chest, and extremities, a thickened, tender ulnar nerve, and severe neuritis of the feet. The results of a biopsy of these lesions revealed histopathological features of lepromatous Hansen disease. The use of anti-tumor necrosis factor biologic agent on this patient may have resulted in either a new infection or reactivation of a latent infection of Mycobacterium leprae.</p>  a1434-9949