Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) inhibitors, such as infliximab and etanercept, are now frequently used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Crohn's disease. As an apparent result of their immune modulating activity, there has been an observed association between the use of these agents and the development of a wide range of infections, most notably
Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We describe a case of infection with
Mycobacterium abscessus in a 67-year-old woman receiving infliximab as a component of her therapy for RA. This case, along with extensive reports in the medical literature, illustrate how treatment with inhibitors of TNF-α has the potential to result in a wide range of infectious complications, including rapid growing
Mycobacterium.