Spondylitis Association of America
    
 
Section Home
 
News Archive
 
Press Releases
 
Patients & Experts Available for Interview
 
Special Report:
TNF-a Inhibitors
Enbrel, Remicade
and Humira

The Effect of tumor necrosis factor on the response of pneumococcal vaccination in patients with rheumatoid arthritis ankylosing spondylitis

2/26/2004

From: Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism, February 2004, Volume 33, Number 4

Pneumococcal disease is a serious disease caused by bacterium that enters through the lungs and can lead to other serious diseases including pneumonia and meningitis. Recently, a study was performed in order to asses the effect of TNF-a therapies on pneumococcal vaccination in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

The study revealed that patients treated with TNF-a blockade therapies are not put at risk by having a pneumococcal vaccination, thus pneumococcal vaccination before starting TNF-a therapy is recommended.


Join SAA   |    Educational Materials   |    Contact Us   |    Site Map   |    Privacy Statement
© 2008 Spondylitis Association of America, All Rights Reserved