[Combination of lamivudine with thymosin alpha1 in treatment of duck hepatitis B].
To explore the inhibitory effect of combination of lamivudine with thymosin alpha1 (Talpha1) on the replication of duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV).



Peking ducks of 1 d old were challenged with DHBV-positive serum and used as a duck hepatitis B model. After treated with lamivudine for three months, the ducks were randomly grouped and treated with or without Talpha1 for 8 d. Serum DHBV titrate was observed by semi-quantitative PCR, and inflammation and degeneration of hepatocytes were observed by pathology examination.



The serum DHBV titrate was significantly reduced (4483.2+/-5193.4 compared with 9351.8+/-5059.6) after lamivudine treatment, and it was reduced more significantly(1692.2+/-589.2) after combination treatment with Talpha1. Lamivudine reduced the degeneration degree of hepatocytes (3.2+/-0.8 compared with 4.6+/-0.5) and the inflammation degree of liver (6.2+/-3.3 compared with 8.6+/-2.8). The combination treatment with Talpha1 increased liver inflammation degree (9.0+/-5.2).



Both Talpha1 and lamivudine may reduce the replication of DHBV in Peking ducks and combination treatment may have the better anti-virus effect and enhance immune response in liver.
Chen
Xiang-ming
XM
The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China. cxmcf@sina.com
Liu
Zi-ming
ZM
Du
Xin-fang
XF
Yang
Zheng-gang
ZG
Chen
Xiao-ming
XM
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004372:Ducks; D018347:Hepadnaviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015611:Hepatitis B Virus, Duck / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D006524:Hepatitis, Viral, Animal / Q000188:drug therapy; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000821:virology; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077596:Thymalfasin; D013947:Thymosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D019259:Lamivudine; D013947:Thymosin; D000077596:Thymalfasin