Antiviral therapy: hepatitis B.
Antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B virus infection can result in clearance of replicating virus from the liver and prevention of progression to cirrhosis in a substantial proportion of patients. Adenosine arabinoside monophosphate, a potent inhibitor of HBV replication, is of limited usefulness because it causes significant neuromuscular toxicity. Acyclovir alone is relatively nontoxic, but is clinically ineffective in eliminating HBV from the liver. Lymphoblastoid or recombinant alpha-interferons are the best option at present and offer up to a 50% chance of long-term inhibition of HBV replication (with only minor side-effects) in patients who acquire the infection in adulthood. However alpha-interferon therapy alone is not effective when infection is acquired from birth. In this latter group of patients, prednisolone pre-treatment followed by alpha-interferon is currently under evaluation.
Department of Medicine and Hepatology, St Marys Hospital Medical School, Imperial College, University of London.
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MR
Jacyna
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Thomas
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007372:Interferons