Long-term follow-up of e-antigen (HBeAg)-positive acute viral hepatitis.
Eighteen consecutive patients with HBeAg in serum and histologically verified acute viral hepatitis were included in a follow-up study of the natural course of the disease. Five patients were followed up for from 2 to 6 months. Two of these healed clinically and cleared both HBeAg and HBsAg, while three were positive for HBeAg and HBsAg at the last control. Thirteen patients with a follow-up of from 27 to 102 months became HBeAg-negative during the time of observation. In all but one, progression of the liver disease stopped when HBeAg was cleared. The results further indicate a close association between the duration of HBe antigenemia and the severity of the liver disease.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens