ABSTRACT
The association of a drug with any specific infection is difficult to determine with accuracy except in specifically designed studies. The incidence of a drug-associated pulmonary infection is extremely variable depending on the clinical setting, such as the disease being treated and the dose of drug, as well as whether prophylactic agents are used. This chapter discusses the risk of specific infections associated with the drugs. Glucocorticoids are a class of drugs widely employed for their anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. Alemtuzumab is used for fludarabine-refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia; it is also effective at preventing graft-versus-host disease among allogeneic transplant recipients receiving non-myeloablative conditioning regimens. Rituximab, like alemtuzumab, is useful for haematological malignancies but is targeted towards those with abnormal B-cells. Tumour necrosis factor antagonists represent an important development in the treatment of several inflammatory conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.
