Background: On returning from a period in a country where tuberculosis is endemic, e.g. a medical internship abroad, screening for tuberculosis takes place. The tuberculin skin test (Mantoux test) and the interferon-γ release assay test are available for this purpose.
Case description: We describe a 23-year-old female medical intern who was treated preventively with a tuberculostatic drug due to a latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) following an internship in India. This treatment was prematurely discontinued due to increased transaminases (ALT, AST) and physical side effects that impacted negatively on her general wellbeing and on her ability to function during her later internships.
Conclusion: Long-term preventive treatment for a health care professional with an LTBI is often indicated. However, this treatment can have negative side effects.