title: Therapy of acute hepatitis C with interferon-alpha2b plus ribavirin in a health care worker.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus can be transmitted to health care workers through needlestick accidents. In this report, the result of short-term therapy with interferon-alpha2b plus ribavirin combination of acute hepatitis C in a health care worker who infected through laboratory accident was presented. The patient received combination of interferon-alpha2b (5 MU three times a week) plus ribavirin (1000 mg daily) for three months. Aminotransferase levels were normalised and clearance of HCV RNA was obtained in the first month of the therapy. After 19 months of follow-up, he had undetectable levels of HCV RNA so sustained response (clearance of HCV RNA and normalisation of aminotransferases at least six months after cessation of therapy) was achieved. According to this result, short-term therapy of acute hepatitis C with interferon-alpha2b plus ribavirin may be an alternate to others.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Ankara Training & Research Hospital, Dikimevi-Ankara, Turkey. tuncergunay@yahoo.com
authors.forename: G Tuncer
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Ertem
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tulek
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oral
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kinikli
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006282:Health Personnel; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin