Prompt hepatitis C virus suppression following hepatitis B virus superinfection in chronic untreated hepatitis C.
The natural course of chronic hepatitis C virus infection after hepatitis B virus superinfection is not clear since it is difficult to determine the chronology of the double infections. We report on a case of de novo hepatitis B virus infection in the course of chronic untreated hepatitis C, in which the time of hepatitis B virus infection is actually known. The patient eliminated HCV-RNA, both from serum and from liver tissue, soon after the clinical onset of the acute hepatitis B. Liver histology featured hepatitis with severe portal inflammation and high-grade periportal and intralobular necro-inflammatory lesions. This observation demonstrates that hepatitis C virus replication can be promptly and spontaneously suppressed by acute hepatitis B virus superinfection.
Guido
M
M
Pathology Department, University of Padova, Italy.
Rugge
M
M
Colombari
R
R
Cecchetto
A
A
Scarpa
A
A
Cadrobbi
P
P
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015163:Superinfection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins