Adjunctive TNF Inhibition with Standard Treatment Enhances Bacterial Clearance in a Murine Model of Necrotic TB Granulomas

Abstract

This study provides proof-of-principle that modulation of TNF-α activity can hasten bacterial clearance during standard multi-drug TB treatment. Oral agents that modulate TNF-α should therefore be considered as adjunct therapies for shortening TB treatments. However, due to concerns of reactivation disease, additional studies need to be performed before TNF-α inhibitors are used for TB treatment in humans.