Treatment of chronic hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection with human lymphoblastoid alpha interferon.
Ten patients with evidence of continuing HDV replication were treated with lymphoblastoid alpha-interferon and eight more were followed as a non-randomized control group. Four out of eight patients who completed one year of follow-up had cleared HDV-RNA from the serum whilst none of the control group did so. In these four responding cases there was a transient increase in transaminase levels during treatment and in two, this was followed by improvement. One patient also cleared HBV and seroconverted to anti-HBs (antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen--HBsAg). In one patient with sustained loss of HDV, recurrence of HDV infection was detected 18 months after completion of treatment. These data suggest that alpha-interferon can inhibit HDV replication in the short term but relapse after one to two years may occur. Inhibition of HDV-RNA is associated with improvement in the inflammatory liver disease and now larger studies are required to determine whether it influences survival.
Farci
P
P
Academic Department of Medicine, St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London.
Karayiannis
P
P
Brook
M G
MG
Smedile
A
A
Lai
M E
ME
Balestrieri
A
A
Saldanha
J A
JA
Monjardino
J
J
Gerin
J
J
Thomas
H C
HC
D000328:Adult; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D007370:Interferon Type I; D012367:RNA, Viral; C442244:hepatitis delta virus large antigen