Persistence of hepatic hepatitis B virus after serological clearance of HBsAg with autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation.
Delayed clearance of hepatitis B surface antigen was previously reported in a 38 year old woman after high dose chemotherapy with autologous peripheral blood stem cell rescue. Sixteen months later, this patient remained hepatitis B surface antigen negative, hepatitis B surface antibody positive, and serum hepatitis B DNA negative by polymerase chain reaction. Serial liver biopsies (one at hepatitis B e antigen positive stage, one at hepatitis B e antibody positive stage, and one at hepatitis B surface antigen negative and hepatitis B surface antibody positive stage) showed a gradual resolution of the inflammatory activity with loss of hepatitis B e antigen and then hepatitis B surface antigen in the serum. However, the degree of fibrosis, though mild, remained the same. With the serological clearance of hepatitis B surface antigen, a small amount of hepatitis B virus DNA was still detectable in the nuclei of liver cells.
Lau
G K
GK
University Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. GKKLau@hkstar.com
Wu
P C
PC
Liang
R
R
Yuen
S T
ST
Lim
W L
WL
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens