title: Acyclovir enhances the antiviral effect of interferon in chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: Patients with chronic hepatitis B with active viral replication had a significantly greater fall in DNA polymerase and hepatitis-Be antigen when treated with interferon and acyclovir together than when treated with either interferon or acyclovir alone. Apart from fatigue and thrombophlebitis, tolerance of the combination therapy was excellent. The combination therapy appears the most promising for conversion of a state of active viral replication into virus latency.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Schalm
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Heytink
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: van Buuren
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: de Man
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D007370:Interferon Type I; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D000212:Acyclovir