Recurrent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in systemic lupus erythematosus patient: case report and review

Anthony Paulo Sunjaya (Faculty of Medicine, Tarumanagara University, Jakarta, Indonesia)
Devi Astri Rivera Amelia (Department of Internal Medicine, Ciawi General Hospital, West Java, Indonesia)

JKKI : Jurnal Kedokteran dan Kesehatan Indonesia
JKKI, Vol 10, No 1, (2019)

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder characterised by an underlying immunodeficiency state, worsened by the use of immunosuppressive drugs in its treatment. Hence patients with SLE are at increased risk of opportunistic infections, one of which is tuberculosis. Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most common infectious diseases globally, with Indonesia having the second highest prevalence in the world. Further research towards better management of these two disease entities is thus required. We report a patient with SLE flare and recurrent tuberculosis infection.