Virologic features of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in childhood.
Hepatitis B virus markers were studied in serum and liver of 24 children with chronic hepatitis. All patients had evidence of active virus replication, as shown by hepatitis B core antigen in the liver cell nuclei, independently of the severity of histologic lesions. Furthermore, 19 of 24 patients had hepatitis B e antigen in serum, and most patients showed a diffuse pattern of HBcAg distribution in the liver. In all 24 children, the presence of immunoglobin G bound to the liver cell surface paralleled the activity of virus replication, but it did not correlate with the severity of liver lesions. During a follow-up period of two to four years, the virus replication persisted in all eight patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy, whereas in 5 of 16 untreated patients we observed a seroconversion to antibody to HBeAg, which is currently regarded as a favorable event for the prognosis of the disease.
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007223:Infant; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D014779:Virus Replication
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents