Certolizumab in a patient with severe psoriasis and concomitant hepatitis C virus infection

The treatment of psoriasis has benefited in recent years from the introduction of biological drugs that target specific components of the immune system. Some of these drugs block the excess production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the skin or joints, thus, helping stop the inflammatory cycle of psoriatic disease. However, it has been suggested that anti–TNF-α agents could be associated with exacerbations of concomitant viral infections, an effect that could have potentially serious consequences in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.