Infections in the management of rheumatic diseases: An update
Abstract
Patients with inflammatory rheumatic conditions have an increased risk of infection. While this could be the result of the underlying disease, it may also be caused by the use of immunosuppressive therapies, which are needed to treat these disorders. An increasing number of patients with rheumatoid arthritis or other rheumatic diseases are using biologic therapies (biologics) in addition to the synthetic diseasemodifying anti-rheumatic drugs. The side-effects and complications of these relatively new agents are unknown to many specialists (outside of rheumatology) and general practitioners. This article highlights updates on the most important infections encountered in the daily management of patients with rheumatic diseases and discusses how these may be prevented.Copyright remains in the Author’s name. The work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Noncommercial Works License. Authors are required to complete and sign an Author Agreement form that outlines Author and Publisher rights and terms of publication. The Agreement form should be uploaded along with other submissions files and any submission will be considered incomplete without it [forthcoming].
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