title: [Interferon treatment of chronic viral hepatitis].
abstract: The interferon treatment of chronic viral hepatitis leads to a measurable inhibition of replication of the various hepatitis viruses. In adult patients with chronic HBe-Ag-positive hepatitis B, the seroconversion rate is tripled by therapy when compared with untreated controls. In chronic hepatitis C, biochemical remission is achieved in about 50% of patients, but there is a high tendency to relapse. Interferon treatment has little effect in hepatitis B virus infection transmitted perinatally and in chronic delta hepatitis. Better knowledge of prognostic variables and deeper insights into the mechanisms of chronic hepatitis C virus infection should help both to increase rates and duration of remissions and to reduce the rates of relapse in the future.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik, Kantonsspital Olten.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirovino
mesh_terms: D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008111:Liver Function Tests
chemical_list: D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D007372:Interferons