Screening prior to thiopurine treatment25
| Investigations | Action |
|---|---|
| Hepatitis C antibody | Recommend treatment under specialist guidance if positive. |
| Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B surface antibody (Anti-HBAbs), hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBcAb) | Vaccinate the patient if negative. Treatment with reverse transcriptase inhibitors if positive. |
| HIV | Recommend treatment under specialist guidance if positive. |
| Varicella zoster IgG (if no history of infection) | Vaccinate the patient if negative at least 3 weeks prior to starting treatment. |
| Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) | Testing (EBV IgG) recommended. Stop thiopurine and consider antivirals (ganciclovir or foscarnet) in an acute infection.25 |