title: Hepatitis B virus superinfection in a patient with chronic hepatitis C receiving alpha-interferon treatment.
abstract: We report on a patient with chronic hepatitis C who developed acute hepatitis B during interferon alpha treatment. However, our patient promptly eliminated HBsAg and had a sustained complete response to interferon, even 6 months after the end of treatment. Acute hepatitis B superinfection in patients with chronic hepatitis C is a rarely observed event. The natural course of these patients is unknown. In our case it may be speculated that alpha-interferon treatment contributed to the prompt elimination of HBsAg from the serum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine I, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Teuber
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Dienes
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Meyer zum Büschenfelde
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gerken
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D015163:Superinfection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha